


Hope of Narnia

by SnowGirl95



Series: Narnia series [2]
Category: Chronicles of Narnia (Movies), Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types
Genre: Adopted uncle, Disney Songs, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family, Friendship, War, nymph
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2018-09-30 12:37:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 28,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10163195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowGirl95/pseuds/SnowGirl95
Summary: Amanda has been reborn, but then Telmarines murder her new family leaving her as a ward to her family’s old friend, Doctor Cornelius. At the Telmarine palace she meets the prince Caspian whom with she forms a close friendship. But then Caspian’s uncle plots to take the throne, leaving Caspian and Hope to run into the woods, where they meet the rest of the Narnians. What will happen?





	1. Winter Nymph

In the large snow covered field, deep in the forbidden forest, a single Winter Nymph was dancing for her joy of winter. Her pale white skin seemed to be glowing in the light of the winter sun while her shoulder length pale blonde hair flowed around her head like an enchanting halo as she danced, leaped and twirled around the field, while her silvery blue [dress](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/24/b7/e9/24b7e9d3a25659402a14125a9cdf7eb4.jpg) was flowing behind her in the chilly winter air and her bare delicate feet danced around the snow.

She was just about to do her pirouette in the middle of the field when a shout echoed around the field,

‘’Aunt Fayre!’’

[Fayre](http://thumbnails.cbsig.net/CBS_Production_Showtime/149/564/dexter_708b_640x480_2304001103.jpg) immediately after hearing that familiar angelic voice stopped dancing to look at her five year old niece running towards her in her white tunic and blue pants. Fayre knelt to the ground just when the little girl jumped into her arms.

‘’How’s my little snowflake?’’ Fayre asked as she rose from the ground her niece, [Hope](https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQPw8yvgig2gbtEGw4ZkrsPUb3BO0kClsgF2Cfg9InAenaf3ymi), in her arms.

‘’Fine, but mom said that dinner is ready,’’ Hope said to her aunt.

‘’I was just finishing my Winter Dance. How about I come in five minutes?’’ Fayre asked while placing a strand of Hope’s golden blond hair behind her pointed ear.

‘’Mom said that if you don’t come now she will eat your food,’’ Hope repeated her mother’s threat to Fayre.

‘’How about in two minutes?’’ Fayre bargained. Hope scrunched her forehead as she was thinking the offer.

‘’Only if I get to take the first piece of the dessert. Mom made frozen blueberry tart,’’ Hope said. And even if Hope always had the first piece, Fayre faked to look shocked by this offer.

‘’You’re not going to chaffer about it, right?’’ Fayre said while smiling as Hope shook her head as a no, ‘’well I guess there’s no way out of it. You’ll get the first piece,’’ Fayre finally ‘agreed’ faking a defeated voice. Hope jumped out of her arms cheering for her victory.

‘’Two minutes or I will help mom eat your food and I will eat your share of the tart alone,’’ Hope threatened as she started to run back to their house. Fayre just laughed at the little girl’s energy, it seemed endless. But then face turned dead serious. She looked at the little girl’s back as her figure kept getting further and further away from the field. It was no secret to any remaining Narnians that Hope was the last Winter Nymph to be born in Narnia, and after that day their race’s numbers were lowered to only three of them left.

After Hope had been born five years ago, Fayre and her sister [Marigold](http://cdn.sheknows.com/articles/2011/08/woman-with-blue-eyes-blonde-hair.jpg), Hope’s mother, went into hiding so that Hope could grow up peacefully in this prejudices land that once was full of beauty and laughter, and where all Narnians could feel safe and happy. But that was over a thousand years ago, before Telmarines came and killed their High-Queen Amanda, the last _real_ monarch of Narnia. After that all Narnians were at risk of being killed just for being different than their so called ruling king.

And so became the huge purge that took many Narnians lives. So now there were only small amount of Narnians left. And as the Telmarines had always thought that Winter Nymphs were omens of deadly winters, even though the truth was the total opposite, all of the Winter Nymphs were killed. Except three. And as there were only so few of them left, they can’t do what they were meant to do in the first place.

Winter Nymphs used to dance in the winter in large groups all around Narnia and with their dance they brought sun in the middle of the dark winter time, they brought mild frost that did not kill and just plain simply made the winter as beautiful season as the summer.

But now that they were basically extinct, the winters have become deadly cold, the short day times are filled with sun blocking clouds and darkness has covered the land and winter is no longer beautiful, except in those few small areas, where Fayre and Marigold dare to dance and make winter beautiful for their small treasure, Hope.

Fayre then snaps out of her thoughts and starts to walk towards their well hidden house, where the three Nymphs have lived for the last five years, safe from the Telmarines that might want to kill them. Their only visitors there were the badger Trufflehunter, in whose house Hope had been born five years ago, two dwarfs named Trumpkin and Nikabrik, who were also present at Hope’s birth and Aland’s, Marigold’s late husband’s, old friend and tutor, a half dwarf Doctor named Cornelius.

Cornelius had had a wide education in a variety of subjects and so he now worked as tutor for the Telmarines’ children, among them the Prince Caspian, Telmarines’ late king’s young son. And in his free time Cornelius comes to visit the Nymphs and tutors little Hope in matters that Fayre and Marigold can’t. And Hope, despite the fact that Cornelius tutors her in her opinion boring subjects, has come to love the old Doctor as her grandfather figure and Trufflehunter and the dwarfs were like uncles to her, and they are all totally wrapped around the young child’s little finger.

Hope is naturally very sweet child and she cares deeply for her blood family and for her extended family. And even though she is young she knows how dangerous the world is and how Telmarines want them dead, no questions asked. And so the most she fears for is the safety of the Doctor’s, because he lives with the Telmarines, but due to him being a half-dwarf he’s a bit taller than a normal dwarf so he can blend in with the Telmarines and they just think him as short old man.

Fayre opens the door into their small house and sees Hope sitting in her chair at the table, legs swinging in the air as she can’t yet reach the floor and Marigold, in her favorite cream [gown](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/dd/5c/10/dd5c10d51a34c69965ac9e7686a92951.jpg), cooking the dinner by the fireplace. Marigold stirs the stew couple time and then she takes off her blue apron and places it to the clothes stand in the corner of the room, while rolling down her wide sleeves. She tightens her silver ribbon belt around her waist and then takes three bowls from the cabinet and puts them on the table.

‘’I’m home,’’ Fayre announces as she walks inside the house.

‘’Oh, you’re back. I was afraid I’d have to make true of my threat and actually eat your food,’’ Marigold says to her sister as she pours some of the stew on one of the bowls and gives it to Hope. Fayre laughs little as she sits to the table across from Hope as Marigold gives her to a bowl of stew.

Marigold then takes the small cauldron back to the fireplace and takes some of the stew into her bowl and then she too sits down at the end of the table. She pours some milk to Hope’s cup and then gives the jug to Fayre, who pours some milk for herself.

‘’Is this lamb stew?’’ Fayre asks after her first bite.

‘’No it’s rabbit. I couldn’t get lamp this time,’’ Marigold says as she takes a spoonful of the stew.

‘’I think this is delicious. As all mom’s cooking. Aunt Fayre always burns whatever she makes,’’ Hope says mouth full of stew.

‘’Hope don’t talk while your mouth is full,’’ Marigold scolds, while,

‘’What do you mean I burn anything I cook. I can cook,’’ Fayre defends herself.

‘’Then why did you burn that porridge you tried to make me the other morning?’’ Hope asks after swallowing her mouthful of food. Fayre opens her mouth to respond, but can’t think anything to say while Hope starts laughing and Marigold chuckles behind her hand.

‘’She got you there little sister,’’ Marigold chuckles while Fayre pouts like a little child.

Yes, this was their small, yet happy family.


	2. Gone

Some days later Marigold and Fayre thought that it was time for Hope to learn how to perform their traditional Winter Dance. And even though they knew that their races numbers were down to almost extinct, they wanted to show her what the Winter Nymphs have done for generations.

They had taken Hope to a large field further in the woods where pure untouched white snow had blanketed the area. There were pale grey clouds blocking the sun so the scenery was not as ideal as they hoped, but with their dance they were going to try and drive away the clouds so that the beauty of the winter could shine through.

‘’Now Hope the dance does not have any specific pattern of how you should dance it. It’s what you’re feeling inside is what makes the dance special,’’ Marigold explained.

‘’What do you mean feeling inside?’’ Hope asked.

‘’You must feel the joy and love for winter while you dance, otherwise it’s just a normal dance,’’ Marigold said as Fayre took her shoes off and started dancing around the field. At first it looked like a normal dance, but then the wind settled down making the air warmer and the clouds started to slowly fade away from the sun’s way. Eventually Marigold joined the dance and as they danced together more and more clouds disappeared from the sky and Hope could start feeling how the sun was warming her pale skin.

But just when Hope was going to join her mother and aunt they could hear a shout,

‘’There those witches are! Get them!’’

Marigold and Fayre immediately stopped dancing and they saw the Telmarines soldiers further away from the field. Marigold quickly picked Hope into her arms and started running into the forest, her sister following behind her.

They ran and ran and when they finally seemed to have lost them Marigold put Hope to the ground and went to the large old oak tree they had long time ago prepared for this very moment. She separated some of the snow covered bushes and they could see behind them a small hole in tree. Marigold pushed Hope inside where she sat down and pulled her knees to her chest.

‘’Now honey stay here and do not make a sound. Fayre and I are going to draw them away from here. And as soon as they are gone, when _all_ of them are gone, you run back to the house and don’t let anyone in or go out. You understand?’’ Marigold asked and Hope nodded her head.

‘’Good girl,’’ Marigold said and kissed her daughters forehead, ‘’I love you so much.’’

‘’I love you too mommy,’’ Hope said in a quiet voice. Then they could hear a faint voices coming from the forest. The Telmarines were coming.

‘’Stay put and be very quiet,’’ Marigold whispered as she placed the bushes back to block Hope from view and started running with her sister.

After a while Hope could hear how the soldiers ran past the tree she was currently sitting in. She sat there what seemed like hours and when she finally couldn’t hear anything except birds chirping she crawled out of the hole and ran straight to their house and locked the door behind her.

She sat down to her chair on the table and started waiting for her mother and aunt to come back. She sat and sat for hours and apparently she had eventually fallen asleep as she woke up when her foot slipped from underneath her, making her almost fall from the chair.

She jumped down form her chair and stretched her tense muscles and went to their cupboard to get some left over bread from the day before. As she sat down to the table her small piece of bread in front of her she couldn’t help but to wonder why hadn’t her mother and aunt come back yet.

She ate her bread and drank some milk and after that she took more comfortable position on the chair and once again she started to wait. She sat there couple hours more when she finally had enough. She knew that she had promised not to go out of the house, but she couldn’t just sit there anymore.

She carefully opened the door and looked outside to see if there were any more soldiers around. And when she couldn’t see or hear any she quietly went outside and started to look for her mother and aunt. She was very careful and quiet as she walked around the forest just in case there were still some of the soldiers around.

She soon passed the oak tree she had hidden in and continued to walk further into the woods in the direction her mother and aunt had ran. She soon came to the base of a big cliff in the woods and from the distance she could see two figures lying on the ground. Both figures had blonde hair; the other one just had paler. And the pale haired one was wearing a blue dress and the golden blonde one had a cream dress.

‘’Mommy! Aunt Fayre!’’ Hope happily yelled when she realized who they were. She quickly ran towards them and she kneeled next to her mother.

‘’Mommy wake up we can go home now,’’ Hope said as she nudged Marigold to wake. ‘’Aunt Fayre no more sleeping okay,’’ she said as she moved to poke her aunt. But when neither of them woke up, she used all her strength to roll Marigold to lie on her back. And when she saw her mother’s front she immediately let out a loud squeak and moved further away from Marigold.

Marigold’s eyes were open, but the usual warm green eyes were grey and dull. But it wasn’t the eyes that made Hope squeal, it was the bloody stab wound on her chest. It wasn’t large per say, but it was deep and lethal. The blood had stained the front of Marigold’s dress and the white snow underneath her.

Hope moved away from her mother and moved to roll her aunt on her back and the same thing happened there. Fayre’s blue eyes were also light grey and the once beautiful blue dress was soaked in blood at where the stab wound was.

Hope immediately moved to sit next to the cliff and pulled her knees to her chest as she started crying. In the matter of hours her whole family was dead. She raised her head as the tears streamed out of her puffy blue eyes to her flushed cheeks as she looked at her dead mother and aunt.

For hours she sat there and cried. She didn’t even notice the snow that was starting fall from the sky, covering Marigold’s and Fayre’s bodies in to a thick white frosty blanket. When she finally stopped crying she looked her family and saw how the snow had almost completely covered them.

She rose from the ground brushing away the snow that had fallen to her hair and clothes and walked next to her family. She knelt next to them and quickly gave a small kiss to both of their foreheads before starting to walk at a slow pace back to their…no...Her house.

XXX

For the next couple of days Hope completely ignored the fact that her stomach was screaming at her to be filled, but she hadn’t had the strength to move from her mother’s armchair by the now cold fireplace. And if anyone would were to see her now, one would think her as a ghost of some sort. Her once bright blue eyes were red and puffy from crying, she had very dark circles under her eyes from the lack of good night sleep, her skin was sickly pale and her hair had lost its shine along with her energetic personality.

But to her surprise about five days after her family’s death, she heard a knock on the door. She slowly moved her head towards the sound, but didn’t rise from the chair. The knocking sound repeated and as she still didn’t rise, she heard how somebody took the spare key from its hiding place and opened the door.

‘’Marigold, Fayre, Hope? Anybody home?’’ Hope heard Doctor Cornelius’ voice from the door as he let himself in. As Hope heard the door shut behind the Doctor, she just sank further into the chair not wanting to be bothered by anyone at the moment.

Cornelius took of his thick winter cloak and hung it on the clothes rack by the door and walked inside the house. He immediately noticed the coldness of the house and even though he knew that the Winter Nymphs were pretty much immune to the cold they didn’t want to keep their house cold like this. The next thing he noticed was the pure lack of life in the house. Usually by now Hope would have ran from somewhere inside the house to meet him with that big bright smile of hers and a huge hug that would follow and Marigold would soon come after her warning her to be careful as the Doctor was not a young as he once used to be.

But now it seemed like a ghost house where nobody had lived. Cornelius walked further inside and as he walked to the living room he saw a small bare foot hanging off from Marigold’s armchair. He quickly circlet it to see the front and what he saw shocked him.

Hope was lying on it, looking sickly as ever. Her eyes were puffy and red, her skin was pale and sickly and her hair matted and dull. She looked like she was inch away from death.

What an earth had happened?

Cornelius immediately knelt next to Hope and took her stone cold face between his warm hands.

‘’Hope what has happened? Where’s Marigold and Fayre?’’ He asked as Hope managed to move her eyes to meet his. At that question Hope broke down and cried her heart out on to his long white beard as she hugged him and hiccupped in between how her family died.

After some time her cries had settled Cornelius scooped Hope onto his arms as he sat to the armchair, her on his lap. Hope continued to sniff and hiccup while the kind Doctor just kept rubbing circles to her back while murmuring soft comforting words to her ear.

After a while Cornelius noticed the change in Hope’s breathing and as he looked at her he saw that she had fallen asleep on his arms. He slowly and carefully carried the small child to her bed and tucked her in and let her sleep the first good sleep she had probably had since her family’s death.

When he got back downstairs he firstly lighted the fire into the fireplace to warm up the cold house and then he started gathering some ingredients to make Hope a decent meal she has skipped for who knows how many days.

After couple hours the house was warm again and it was filled with the heavenly smell of vegetable stew. Hope soon rose from the bed feeling much better, but now that her tiredness has been taken from her she immediately noticed her empty stomach she has been ignoring these last couple days and the smell floating in the air only served as a reminder for her poor belly.

She rose from the bed and walked downstairs to see Cornelius stirring the stew over the fireplace.

‘’Good you’re awake. How are you feeling?’’ Cornelius asked as he guided Hope to sit on the table.

‘’Better, but I’m really hungry,’’ Hope said in a quiet voice and her stomach’s rumbling could be heard from a mile away. That made Cornelius chuckle a bit.

‘’Well that’s good. While you slept I made some vegetable stew. Figured it was about time you had some food into your body,’’ Cornelius said jokingly, but meaning every word as he looked at Hope’s now a little more energetic yet still quite pale figure.

Cornelius took two bowls from the cupboard and put in both of them some stew and gave the other one to Hope, who immediately started eating it. He himself sat across her on the table and started eating his share of the stew.

After three bows of stew and five classes of milk Cornelius deemed Hope to be physically cured. Emotional part would take some time to heal, but still Hope’s eyes had gotten back some of their brightness, her skin wasn’t sickly pale anymore and her hair was getting back its usual shine.

Now it was time to think what would happen to Hope. She couldn’t stay here alone. The girl was just five years old; she would die within a week. The next thing came to mind was to take her to Trufflehunter and the dwarfs, but then Cornelius thought how Hope would grow up to be a lot taller than them so the house would get too small for her within couple years. And the fact that even if he would ask, and Trufflehunter would of course agree to take Hope in, no question about it, but there was already three living in the badgers small house so it would get rather cramped in there with Hope living under their roof. Especially when she would grow in her full height.

So the only thing left was for Cornelius himself to take her with him. But given how he lived among the Telmarines and how they murdered Hope’s family, it would take a lot of persuading to get her to come with him.

And just as he had expected when he suggested the idea, Hope fought tooth and nail not to come with him. But eventually, after Cornelius had explained every reason why Hope couldn’t stay there alone and how Truffelhunter and the dwarfs couldn’t take her in, she finally gave into the idea and agreed to go back with Cornelius.

‘’But won’t they recognize me?’’ Hope asked while she twirled a lock of her blonde hair showing her pointed ears that would give her away.

‘’They could, but if you always keep your hair down or tied so that your ears are hidden or some scarf over your ears you should be safe. And they’d never think that any Narnian would live right under their noses. That’s why I have stayed safe all these years,’’ Cornelius explained as he put on his cloak and then helped Hope to put on hers so that she wouldn’t rise any unwanted attention when they got back to the palace where Cornelius worked.

The trip itself wasn’t actually that long as the Doctor knew all the shortcuts around the forest. And when they finally reached the city Cornelius scooped Hope into his arms so that he wouldn’t lose her in the crowd. And Hope herself was content to stay in the Doctor’s arms as at the moment she felt that to be the safest place to be among all these Telmarines who would want her dead.

As they walked inside the castle Cornelius first thought that he’d take Hope into his quarters and then he’d go to tell the temporary ruler, Lord Miraz, that Hope was staying with him. But he didn’t get that far as they bumped into him in the hallway.

‘’Doctor, I presume you have enjoyed your day off. And who is this young lady?’’ Lord Miraz asked in false concerned voice as he pointed towards Hope, who immediately, after noticing the Telmarine, buried her head further into Cornelius’ neck feeling scared for her life.

‘’This is my niece. Her family has recently died and I, as her only living relative, agreed to take her in as my ward,’’ Cornelius half lied convincingly.

‘’I wasn’t aware that you had a sibling,’’ Lord Miraz said smugly to the Doctor while eyeing the child who was keen on not looking at the Lord in the eyes.

‘’Well it was actually my cousins daughter, who was the mother of this child. But I see her as my niece,’’ Cornelius said. And as Lord Miraz knew very little of the old Doctor’s family he had no reason not to believe him.

‘’Very well. And she’ll be living with you, I presume,’’ Lord Miraz said wanting to finish this conversation as fast as he could.

‘’Yes, I was thinking about training her to be my assistant when she’s grown a bit older,’’ Cornelius said.

‘’Very well, I shall call the Head Maid to come and prepare your quarters so that this child can live there with you. We can think more appropriate arrangements later, when she’s a bit older. Good day Doctor,’’ Lord Miraz said and started to walk away without giving Cornelius any chance to respond.

Cornelius didn’t bother to yell his thanks to the Lord so he just continued to walk into his quarters in upper floor of the castle. They reached the Doctors quarters and he immediately shut the door behind him and put the shaking child on the floor. The first room in Doctor’s quarters you enter was dedicated as Cornelius’ study, where he occasionally taught the young Prince Caspian whenever they’d need some specific books from the Doctor’s personal library. The second room, where a fireplace had been placed, was his bedroom and from the bedroom led a door to his small personal bathroom.

Cornelius probably had to either remove some of his belongings from the study so that they could have Hope’s bed in there or they could try to share the small bedroom and put a screen in between them. But the Doctor knew that he snored quite a lot, so it made more sense to place Hope into his study, where she could get a good night’s sleep. And once Hope grew enough, she’d get her own rooms. Probably close to the Doctor’s.

About an hour later the Head Maid named Miranda, a chubby middle aged woman with jet black hair and brown eyes, who might look stern from the outside, but she had a huge soft spot for children, came in with two men who were carrying a small bed and mattress. They placed the bed at the far end of the study from where Cornelius, with Hope’s help, had cleared his books and scrolls to another part of the study so that there was a clean space for the bed.

Cornelius thanked the men, who gave him a curt nod in return and then they removed themselves from his quarters as they were no longer needed. Miranda stayed and made the bed as best as she could. And after seeing the small child, who the bed was meant for, Miranda had immediately taken a liking to her, as probably anyone who’d see her would.

Miranda of course noticed that Hope had no other clothes than the thin white shirt, blue pants and the worn leather shoes she was wearing, so she offered to take Hope to the royal tailor to make some new clothes for her as she can’t run around the palace looking like a beggar from the streets. At first Hope was hesitant to leave the Doctor and go with this stranger, who also happened to be a Telmarine no matter how nicely she acted. But when Cornelius offered to come too as it was his day off and he had no other obligations on that day, she finally agreed to get some new clothes.

The royal tailor named Vivian was a very nice and kind woman with warm hazel eyes and greying dark brown hair and she had years of experience of tailoring clothes. And she, like Miranda, was immediately charmed by the well-behaving, though a bit shy, child. She took one look at Hope’s hair and eye color to choose what colors would suit her best and decided that colder colors would work wonders to emphasize her bright blue eyes. So in the end she promised that by the end of the week she would have made a couple different dresses in the colors of blue, green and grey and couple trousers and shirts in case she wanted to play outside. And of course she promised to make Hope her own nightgown and for the time being she gave her an old small shirt to use as a night shirt.

That evening Cornelius tugged Hope into her new bed and Hope, even though she had known the Doctor for years, just now had started actually call him uncle Cornelius and Cornelius, though had been a bit shocked to hear it the first time, had come to like the sound of it. And as he had introduced Hope as his niece it was only appropriate that she’d call him that.

While Cornelius tugged Hope into her bed he promised that the next day he’d introduce her to his pupil Prince Caspian, who was the same age as Hope. At first Hope had been hesitant to meet the boy, but Cornelius convinced her that Caspian was nice young boy and that due to his age he had not yet developed a scorn against the Narnians and Cornelius, as he started to tutor him at such a young age, tried secretly to teach him the wonders of the old Narnia so that Caspian would not inherit the prejudice attitude so many Telmarines possessed.

So in the end Hope agreed to meet Caspian on the condition that Cornelius would not leave her alone with him and to that Cornelius full heartedly agreed. And as Cornelius went to his own bed, and placed his classes on the bed side table, he knew that it would take a long time before Hope would start trusting in Telmarines or at least in those who deserved her trust. But for now Cornelius knew he had made some progress, as she had agreed to come and live with him in the Telmarines palace and to that he was very crateful for as Hope was very important to him and he couldn’t imagine what might have happened if he hadn’t come to see her when he had. Hope was like the daughter to him that he never got in his long lonely life.


	3. Caspian

The next morning Cornelius was the first one to wake as he always woke up when the first rays of sun hit his face. He slowly, carefully remembering his old body, rose from his bed and went to his small bathroom to wash up before starting the day.

When he came out of the bathroom he took his neatly folded clothes from his chair and dressed up in the white shirt, brown trousers and his red robe. He then made his bed as he always would as he was one who didn’t like the untidiness in his rooms, and then went to see Hope, who was still sleeping in his study.

As he quietly opened the door he could see her small frame snuggled up into the blankets, still in deep sleep in her bed. He quietly went to her bed and sat on the edge of it.

‘’Hope, it’s time to wake up,’’ the Doctor gently said as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

‘’Five more minutes,’’ came a muffled voice from deep within the covers, making Cornelius chuckle at the child’s antics. He then remembered what Marigold had told him of how she would always get Hope to wake up. He started tickling her sides, making Hope laugh and unwillingly rise from the bed as she tried to pry the merciless hands off of her.

After Cornelius deemed her woken up as she was so busy glaring at him he rose from the bed and handed her her yesterday’s clothes. Hope took the clothes and while muttering something Cornelius couldn’t hear she went to the bathroom to wash up and change. And while Hope was in the bathroom Cornelius made her bed as well.

After about ten minutes Hope emerged from the bathroom now in her clothes and her hair tied up into a low ponytail so her pointed ears were covered. Just then a knocking was heard from the door, making Hope feel scared once again and hide behind the old Doctor. The Doctor gave a permission to enter and saw a young, maybe in her early twenties, maid come in with a tray of food in her hands.

‘’Good morning Doctor. I heard you have a small child with you so I brought a little more food than usually,’’ the maid said as she placed the tray on the table.

‘’Thank you Janice,’’ Cornelius said to the familiar maid, who gave a quick nod and left as she saw the scared child hiding behind the Doctor and did not want her to feel uncomfortable.

After Hope heard the door close, indicating that the maid left, she felt good enough to come out from behind the Doctor.

‘’So let’s eat, shall we,’’ Cornelius said as he brought another chair to the table that Hope sat on as Cornelius himself sat on his usual chair on the table. He gave Hope a toast with some cloudberry jam and a class of milk, while he himself started to stir his usual cup of tea adding a couple spoonful’s of sugar in it as otherwise the herb tea would taste a bit bland.

Hope ate the toast, but did find the jam a bit bitter for her taste, but she ate it anyway not wanting to seem ungrateful to the Doctor. The Doctor then took the bowl of hot porridge that obviously was meant for Hope and gave it to her, warning that it was still hot.

Hope blew some of the steam off and took a small careful bite of the porridge and after the taste she immediately took the sugar cup and put some sugar in it as the porridge tasted like burned milk and oats without it. Her mother always used put some sugar and some fresh berries, or some rare times fruits, in her porridge and this porridge in front of her lacked all those things. But after about five spoonful’s of sugar the porridge tasted like it was edible.

After they had eaten their breakfast Cornelius gathered the plates and cups from the table and placed them on the tray so the maid could get it later. He then suggested that they’d go see Vivian and how she was coming up with the dresses for Hope. Hope, even though still feeling a bit frightened by any Telmarine woman, agreed to go see the old tailor.

They walked across the castle Hope tightly clinging to the Doctor’s arm all the way until they finally reached the Royal Tailor shop. They walked inside and saw Vivian and two other females sowing dresses around a big table that was now covered with different fabrics, some thread and measuring tapes along with many papers full of clothing patterns.

Vivian, after noticing the door opening, looked up from her work to see the old Doctor and his new ward standing by the door.

‘’Doctor Cornelius, came to see how my work is progressing?’’ Vivian said as she placed the fabric she was sowing to the table and with a little difficulty walked to meet the Doctor, while the other two tailors, one black haired and young while the other one had dark brown hair in a bun and was most likely in her forties, began to gossip about something.

‘’Yes in fact I did,’’ Cornelius confirmed with a small smile making Vivian smile too.

‘’Well I have just started to sow the first one, but it doesn’t look that good yet,’’ Vivian said as she took the white fabric she just placed to the table and showed it to Cornelius and Hope, who peaked from behind the Doctor.

And just a she said the dress didn’t look much of anything just yet. If you’d look close enough you could see some shape in it, but it was still very vague. Vivian then put the dress back to the table and took some paper into her hands instead.

‘’This is what it’s supposed to look like when finished,’’ Vivian said as she handed the paper to Cornelius, who also showed it to Hope. It was a very basic child’s dress, white under dress with long slightly wide sleeves and a royal blue sleeveless dress over it.

‘’It looks good,’’ Cornelius said as he handed the paper back to Vivian’s wrinkly hands.

‘’Thank you, but as I said yesterday the dresses won’t be finished until the end of the week. And the shirts and trousers will take another week. And I do try to make the nightgown so it would be finished by the end of this week as well, but I make no promises,’’ Vivian said.

‘’I understand. Well ladies we’ll leave you to your work. Good day,’’ Cornelius said as he gave a polite bow to the tailors and then gently guided Hope out of the tailor shop.

Cornelius then started guiding Hope through the palace, Hope yet again clinging to the Doctor’s arm for support and comfort.

‘’Hope, do you remember what I told you yesterday?’’ Cornelius then asked.

‘’No,’’ came a quiet answer from the little girl beside him.

‘’I told you I’d introduce you to the prince I tutor in this palace. Would you be up to meet him now?’’ Cornelius said.

‘’Will you be there with me all the time?’’ Hope asked a slight panic clear in her voice.

‘’Yes, it’s his tutoring time and I’d introduce you as my niece and ward and a new pupil to the lessons. And as I told you he is just your age and is just a fun loving child like you. I’m sure you two would become good friends with time,’’ Cornelius answered.

‘’Okay, but don’t leave me alone with him,’’ Hope said with quiet voice as she moved slightly closer to the old Doctor.

‘’Of course not my dear, of course not,’’ Cornelius answered as he gently started guiding Hope to the Prince’s quarters at the top floor of the palace.

As they entered the floor Cornelius took Hope to one of the many doors and knocked on it. Soon a voice inside gave them permission to enter and Cornelius then opened the door to reveal nice looking room.

This room was not filled with books and scrolls like the Doctor’s, but rather some wooden swords, some clothes and some toys around the floor, table and even on the bed. Carefully the Doctor and Hope, who still refused to let go of his hand, weaved themselves through the scattered items on the floor.

Soon a young boy with dark brown hair, warm brown eyes and tanned skin came into their view.

‘’Doctor is it my tutoring time already? And who’s that?’’ The boy asked pointing towards Hope, who quickly hid herself behind the Doctor.

‘’Yes my Prince, it is your tutoring time. The sun has already risen. And this young lady is my niece Hope, who will from now on live with me and take part of our lessons,’’ Cornelius said as he half forced half guided Hope out of her hiding place.

Hope stood stiff like stick as she had been forced to stand in front of this Telmarine stranger, no matter how young he was.

‘’Hi, my name’s Caspian. How old are you?’’ Caspian suddenly said right in front of Hope, making her take couple steps back as he frightened her with the sudden closeness. But as Hope took couple steps back, she stumbled on one of the toys on the floor and fell down. And as she fell with a small shriek, Caspian was immediately on her side looking very worried, while the Doctor stood a bit farther away giving the children time to get to know each other.

‘’Oh man are you okay? Eleanor did say I should clean up my stuff off of the floor and I was going to do it, I promise. Here let me help you up,’’ Caspian said with a panicked voice as he held his hand for Hope to take and Hope couldn’t help but to stare at the sincerity of the worry that the Telmarine’s voice and face showed her. How can somebody who’s supposed to be a total monster be this worried over a girl who just stumbled on her feet?

Hope then slowly took his hand and let Caspian help her up.

‘’Thank you,’’ Hope said with her quiet voice, still feeling a bit cautious of the boy.

‘’You didn’t hurt yourself, right?’’ Caspian asked with still worried voice.

‘’No,’’ Hope said as she let go of the hand that for some reason still held hers.

‘’Good, and I’m so sorry,’’ Caspian said with sincere voice.

‘’It’s okay, I used to scatter my toys around too,’’ Hope said and gave a small encouraging smile to the young prince, who also started smiling.

From the small distance the old Doctor also gave a small smile as he saw how the prince was able to bring Hope out of her shell. She was still cautious, but this was the first time she had spoken willingly to any Telmarine and the Doctor was sure that eventually Hope and Caspian would become friends, even if Hope would still be cautious and slightly scared around other Telmarines.

And true to his words Caspian was able to bring the cheerful Hope back into life as their friendship started growing. Hope always smiled around the prince and Caspian was always asking Hope to play around with him no matter what. They truly grow to be the bests of friends around.

Everybody in the castle knew how Caspian and Hope spent all their time together. They studied together, they played together, they rode together, and they even practiced sword fighting together when they grew older. The teacher was at first hesitant to take the young girl into the lessons, but after the prince had firmly said that if Hope can’t join them then the teacher could remove himself from the castle as he wasn’t needed, since Caspian refused to practice without Hope.

Caspian and Hope’s favorite place to play was without doubt the garden and if one couldn’t find them in the palace then they were sure to find them in the garden playing hide and seek or some other game.

Caspian also never belittled Hope because she was a girl even if some knights and male servants said that women weren’t as good as men. But Caspian always told them off saying that Hope was just as important as he was.

And as Caspian and Hope started reaching their teen-age years, one could see them often glancing each other when the other wasn’t looking. They started having some trouble talking to each other, but noting major, they still remained bests of friends.

And if one would look they could see that whenever the other talked or spent time with the opposite gender the other one would show some signs of jealousy. And they ensured that they still spent most of their time together. And as Caspian’s lesson’s kept increasing due to him being the rightful heir to the throne their time was cut off as Hope had started learning privately with the Doctor when Caspian had lessons elsewhere.

But they always promised to meet at the gardens before the day would end. Like now,

‘’How was your day?’’ [Hope](http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/38000000/This-is-Ella-s-story-cinderella-2015-38055601-1536-2048.jpg) asked the tired [Caspian](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/73/9f/83/739f832835be1a9a5a30db0e329cbfb4.jpg) as they walked at the far end of the garden.

‘’Don’t even ask. The riding lessons have become a nightmare and the ever growing pressure of being the best…ugh. I’d rather spend my time with you,’’ Caspian said as they finally sat on the bench.

‘’I know. Uncle Cornelius has had me study endlessly of the history of Narnia and all the other stuff. I feel like my head will explode,’’ Hope said as she adjusted her loose side [ponytail](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/51/81/71/518171554fbdfc958853b5642d553c04.jpg) that hid her ears perfectly. Just then her eyes saw something new in the garden.

‘’Look they’ve planted white roses,’’ Hope said as she quickly rose from the bench, her powder blue [dress](http://g04.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1SnepHVXXXXcTXVXXq6xXFXXX4/womens-adults-ladies-maleficent-Princess-aurora-costume-light-blue-medieval-dress-princess-costume-halloween.jpg) flowing behind her as she moved to see the flowers.

Caspian couldn’t help but to stare after his best friend. He couldn’t understand how that timid child, who came into the castle with the old Doctor and always hid behind him when somebody got too close could turn into this beautiful confident angel in front of him. Caspian had of course noticed how some males had started looking at Hope’s direction whenever she walked by, and if he was being completely honest with himself, he didn’t like it. Luckily Hope didn’t pay any attention on the looks.

‘’Aren’t they beautiful Caspian?’’ Hope suddenly said as she smelled one of the white roses on the bush.

 _‘’Not as beautiful as you,’’_ Caspian suddenly found himself think. ‘’Yes they are. Roses are after all your favorite flowers,’’ Caspian said aloud as he walked next to Hope.

‘’That they are. If you’d ask me the whole garden should be full of roses,’’ Hope said as she looked at the garden that was full of different kinds of flowers.

‘’Well then,’’ Caspian said as he picked one of the white roses from the bush, ‘’your favorite flower, my lady,’’ Caspian said as he bowed and gave the rose to Hope.

‘’Thank you good sir,’’ Hope said as she took the rose and gave a small curtsy to Caspian. ‘’But white roses aren’t my all-time favorite flowers,’’ Hope said as she smelled the rose in her hands.

‘’Then what is?’’ Caspian asked.

‘’Golden roses,’’ Hope said.

‘’Golden roses don’t exist,’’ Caspian said as-a-matter-of-fact type of voice.

‘’I know, but I think that golden roses would be beautiful. Golden was my mother’s favorite color because it reminded her of my father’s hair color. At least that’s what she always told me,’’ Hope said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Caspian had of course heard how Hope had lost her family. Or at least he knew that they were dead. During all these years Hope had lived in the palace she and the Doctor never breathed a word of how Hope was actually a Winter Nymph, not even to Caspian, who knew more about Hope than anybody else in the castle.

That was one thing that helped them to connect with each other as children. They both knew the pain of losing a family and were there to give support for one another when it seemed too hard to go on. And together they got through the rough childhood without parents.

‘’Well I think it’s time to head back. It’s getting a bit dark,’’ Hope said looking at the setting sun at the distance.

‘’One day we will get to spent the whole day together, even if we have to sneak out to do it,’’  Caspian vowed.

‘’I know we will. I’ll see you tomorrow,’’ Hope said as she smiled. She then gave a small kiss on Caspian’s cheek, making his whole face flush red, ‘’And thank you for the rose,’’ she said as she went back to the castle, leaving the red faced and dumbstruck Caspian standing in the middle of the garden.


	4. Familiar faces

During the next few months Hope started noticing how Cornelius became more nervous and uneasy as the days went on. And after one of her and Caspian’s lesson as Hope asked him the reason the old Doctor told her in a hushed voice how he was afraid for Caspian’s safety as now Lord Miraz’s wife Prunaprismia was expecting a child. And if the child was male it would give Miraz an opportunity to get rid of Caspian to become the King.

And after hearing that, the Doctor’s nervousness had been extended to Hope. She now kept a close eye on Caspian as well as Lady Prunaprismia to see if she was close to her due day.

But unexpectedly during one evening, when Hope was back in the quarters ready to go to bed Cornelius uncharacteristically marched into her room.

‘’Hope put on some clothes, Lady Prunaprismia has gone into labor,’’ he quickly said as he closed the door behind him. And that was all he had to say as Hope immediately knew what was to come. She quickly took her green gown from the closet and walked behind the clothes screen, and in a record time she had changed her white nightgown to her green [gown](https://armstreet.com/catalogue/full/medieval-renaissance-linen-dress-autumn-princess-1.jpg) and taken her dark blue cape from the chair she had earlier placed it.

They quickly left Hope’s quarters, Hope not bothering to tie her hair to hide her ears because the hurry they were right now, and went to the floor where Lord Miraz’s and Lady Prunaprismia quarters were. They could hear the Lady’s pained yells outside as she was giving birth to Caspian’s cousin, but then suddenly the yells stopped and they could hear the newborn baby’s cries.

‘’It’s a boy my lady,’’ one of the midwives said and Cornelius and Hope could hear it to the other side of the door. They quickly gave each other a look and hurried to Caspian’s quarters before Miraz’s men could.

Cornelius opened the door and hurried in, while Hope silently closed the door behind her. She could hear Caspian waking up as the Doctor placed his hand over Caspian’s mouth to keep him from shouting.

‘’Five more minutes,’’ Caspian said as he tried to go back to sleep, not understanding the danger he was in.

‘’You won’t be watching the stars tonight, my prince. Come, we must hurry,’’ Cornelius said as he helped Caspian out of the bed.

‘’Professor, what is going on?’’ Caspian asked as he noticed the panicking Hope standing next to door, listening to anyone who might pass the door, or worse, try to come in.

‘’Your aunt has given birth…to a son,’’ Cornelius said in a quiet yet urgent voice. They all moved next to the closet and as Cornelius opened it and walked inside Hope quickly followed, grabbing Caspian’s arm to come with them as he in his shocked state wasn’t making the move himself.

Caspian then, after entering, quietly closed the doors behind him, but left a small cap so he could see what was going to happen. He suddenly saw his uncle’s men come in and pointing their crossbows towards his curtained bed, where they thought he was still sleeping. And after getting the order from his uncle’s captain they fired the bows.

After seeing that the Doctor was indeed not joking about the urgency of the situation Caspian followed him and Hope into the secret passage that led outside of his room. They quickly went to the castle’s armory, where Caspian took his leather chest armor and a sword and then they quickly went to the stables where Caspian quickly saddled his horse, Destrier, ready to escape the palace.

‘’You must make for the woods,’’ the Doctor said as Caspian mounted his horse.

‘’The woods?’’ Caspian asked.

‘’They won’t follow you there. And take Hope with you. Your uncle knows I helped you and she will be in danger if she stays here,’’ Cornelius said as he pushed Hope next to the horse and Caspian helped her on behind him. The Doctor then took something from his rope’s pocket and handed the wrapped object to Caspian.

‘’It has taken me many years to find it. Do not use it except at your greatest need,’’ the Doctor warned as Caspian placed it on his belt.

‘’Will I ever see you again?’’ Caspian asked, fearing that these were the goodbyes.

‘’I hope so, my dear prince. There is so much I meant to tell you. Everything you know is about to change,’’ Cornelius said. But suddenly they hear the soldiers outside. ‘’Now go!’’ Cornelius urged as he patted Destrier as Caspian started riding it outside, making Hope to wrap her arms around Caspian so she wouldn’t fall off.

They rode into the courtyard where some of the soldiers tried to stop them, but the speed and size of the horse made in impossible. From behind them they could hear the fireworks in the sky as the announcer told everybody about the birth of Miraz’s son. And it didn’t take long for the soldiers to take their own horses and start chasing Caspian and Hope.

Caspian rode Destrier down to the large field as the soldiers chased them. The incredible speed of the horse had made Hope’s hood fall off and her blonde hair was now flowing around her, but because of their situation she didn’t bother to pull the hood up again.

They rode into the forest as Cornelius had advised and they could hear how most of the soldiers did not want to follow, giving them the lead they desperately needed. But the fear of the forest didn’t last long as the soldiers soon, once again, were on their tail trying to catch them.

‘’Hurry Caspian,’’ Hope breathed to his neck.

‘’I’m trying,’’ Caspian snapped at her. And even if his voice did held some anger in it Hope knew it was not aimed for her and so she did not held it against Caspian.

They rode deeper into the forest and up to the mountain and the soldiers stayed annoyingly persistent behind them. They came to the vast river and without even thinking they rode in it, but thankfully Destrier was big and strong horse and it managed to make it to the other side of the river without any trouble. And although Caspian’s trousers and Hope’s gown’s hem were now dripping wet, they still continued to ride, while the soldiers and their smaller horses had difficulty to cross the river as some of them were taken in by the current.

They made it to the forest and Hope couldn’t help but to notice that this was the forest she and her small family used to live before their deaths. Caspian quickly looked behind him to see if she was okay and if they were still followed and that cost him.

‘’Caspian look out!’’ Hope yelled as she saw the low tree on their way. Caspian quickly turned around, only to hit his head to the tree making him and Hope fall off of the horse. Hope fell to the ground, but Caspian’s leg got stuck into the stirrup and was dragged behind the horse while Hope ran after him in the darkness of the forest.

Caspian finally managed to get his leg free while Desrtier ran away into the forest. Hope quickly ran next to him and kneeled beside him.

‘’Are you alright?’’ Hope asked as she could see a forming bruise on his forehead while he lied on the wet ground.

‘’Yeah, I’m fine,’’ Caspian breathed. Hope then helped Caspian up into a sitting position and once he was up Caspian started to look around them and all he could see was dark forest everywhere.

But then suddenly a small door that was hidden in the roots of the tree opened lighting the area with dim light and two dwarves came out their swords ready in position.

‘’They’ve seen us,’’ the other one said as he saw Caspian and Hope sitting on the ground looking at them. They suddenly saw the unwrapped horn that the Doctor had given to Caspian laying close to Caspian and Hope.

But before they could act they heard the soldiers’ horses coming closer to them.

‘’Take care of him!’’ Trumpkin, as Hope now recognized her old uncle, said to Nikabrik, who was standing behind him as he went to deal with the soldiers. Nikabrik started to come closer to them, but then Caspian takes the horn…

‘’No!’’

…And blows into it before Nikabrik hits him unconscious with the hilt of his sword. Caspian falls to the ground and Hope immediately crawls next to him and takes his head onto her lap. Nikabrik then starts to get closer to Hope until,

‘’Nikabrik stop! It’s me, Hope,’’ Hope says as she stops him with her lifted hand. Nikabrik takes a closer look at the young woman kneeling before him and he suddenly could see the familiar features on her. Long blonde hair just like her mother’s, clear blue eyes like her father’s, the face of their adopted niece Hope.

‘’Hope? Is that really you?’’ Nikabrik asks not believing his eyes.

‘’Yes, can you help me move him to the house? The Telmarines are after us,’’ Hope says as she gets up and quickly takes a hold of Caspian’s shoulder and Nikabrik, with clear loathing, takes a hold of his feet, somehow knowing that Hope would not come inside to the safety before the boy was safe too.

They take him into the house and they can see a badger named Trufflehunter coming from the kitchen as Nikabrik kicks the door shut.

‘’What was that commotion outside? And who are these?’’ he demands when he sees Hope and Caspian.

‘’Trufflehunter don’t you recognize me?’’ Hope asks teasingly as she and Nikabrik drag Caspian to the bed at the end of the small house.

‘’Hope?’’ Trufflehunter asks with the same amazed voice as Nikabrik.

‘’Yes, it’s me,’’ Hope says as she finally, after getting Caspian to the bed, turns to look at Trufflehunter and smiling at him. Hope kneels to the ground as Trufflehunter comes closer and gives her uncle a big hug after all these years.

‘’Oh my dear Hope. Look at you, all grown up. You look beautiful, just like your mother,’’ Trufflehunter says after the hug and as he takes a good look at her.

‘’Thank you. But can you help me. Nikabrik hit him pretty hard on the head,’’ Hope says as she gestures towards Caspian, while giving a smiling Nikabrik a look to which he just smiles more. Trufflehunter looks at the young man lying on bed, noticing the small bleeding wound on his forehead, among the bruise he got when he hit his head.

‘’Yes of course, I’ll take care of him,’’ he says as he goes back to the kitchen to get some bandages and clean water. After he comes back they together clean Caspian’s wound and bandage it, and after his head is okay Hope takes his leather armor and sword away so it would be more comfortable to sleep.

‘’Thank you,’’ Hope then says as they leave Caspian to rest.

‘’Not a problem my dear. But now you must change clothes or you’ll catch a cold,’’ Trufflehunter says gesturing at Hope’s wet and muddy dress.

‘’Trufflehunter, you know Winter Nymphs don’t get a cold,’’ Hope said.

‘’Yes I do. But it will be much more comfortable to be in dry clothes,’’ he says and goes to his small closet at the back of the house. He then comes back with a bundle of clothes on his arms. ‘’Here try these on. They were your mother’s,’’ he says as he gives the clothes to Hope.

She takes the clothes carefully not believing that these were her mother’s, the woman’s who she admires most in the entire world.

‘’Thank you,’’ Hope says with tears in her eyes, making Trufflehunter smile and even makes Nikabrik give a small grin towards the young woman.

‘’Now go change,’’ Trufflehunter says as he pushes Hope to the direction of Nikabrik’s room so she could change in privacy.

XXX

Back in the London four very ordinary looking children were totally unaware of the commotion back in Narnia as they now had their own problems.

After the Pevensies, or what was left of them, went back to their home in London they had to explain their mother the disappearance of her oldest daughter. And the only explanation was that Amanda had gone missing in the woods near the Professor’s house and they never found her, or her body. And even after a year their mother still could not hear anyone utter her daughter’s name out loud without bursting into tears.

The children were of course just as devastated of their loss. They had tried to go back to Narnia to get her, but found that the closet they had used before had closed the portal and now they were all stuck back in England while Amanda, who still remained thirty years old, was in Narnia.

And so all of them had to change. Peter now having to face the loss of the other part of himself, his twin sister, who had always been with him and kept him calm. He was now days always feeling angry and crumby and not anything of his siblings would do or say could calm him down.

Susan, now being the oldest sister, was taking the role of the mother while they were in school. The role that used to belong to Amanda and that was one of the reasons Peter was always angry, as Susan now tried to keep them together like Amanda used to, but her not having much experience of being the oldest girl wasn’t doing very well. And as she had usually been allowed to have some of her vanity, but now that she was the role model to Lucy she had hard time shaking it off.

Edmund, after Amanda had told him back in Narnia that no matter what she would always love him, had taken her words to the heart and was now trying to be the best brother she deserved, even if she wasn’t there. He wasn’t trying to compete with Peter anymore like before and took other peoples feeling into account and was not being as selfish as he was before.

Lucy, realizing the lose just as well as the others, grew up from her childishness and was now more mature, or as mature as one in her age can be. She still strongly believed that one day they would get back to Narnia and see Amanda again, but others were starting to lose their hope after a year with nothing.

They were now on the train station ready to get back to school and after Peter, once again, had gotten into a fight and Edmund rushing to help him they were now sitting on a bench away from everyone else, waiting the train to arrive.

‘’You’re welcome,’’ Edmund said even if Peter hadn’t thanked him for the help.

‘’I had it sorted,’’ Peter snapped at his brother.

‘’What was it this time?’’ Susan asked tiredly, knowing how many times they had gone through this conversation before.

‘’He bumped me,’’ Peter explained.

‘’So you hit him?’’ Lucy asked disapproving.

‘’No. After he bumped me, he tried to get me to apologize. That’s when I hit him,’’ Peter said.

‘’Why can’t you just walk away? If Mandi was here she’d say the same,’’ Susan said making them all quiet down. It wasn’t just their mother who still felt the pain of the loss and the wound was still very raw.

‘’If Mandi was here things would be different,’’ Peter snapped with tears in his eyes as always when he allowed himself to think his twin, ‘’and I shouldn’t have to walk away! Don’t you ever get tired of being treated like a kid?’’

‘’Uh, we are kids,’’ Edmund stated.

‘’Well I wasn’t always. … It has been a year. How long does he expect us to wait?’’ Peter said tiredly.

‘’I think it’s time to accept the fact that we live here. It’s no use pretending any different. And you have to face the fact that we may never see Mandi again,’’ Susan said as tears tried to fall from her eyes, but she stubbornly kept them in while Lucy’s tears did make their way down to her cheeks and Edmund also, like Susan, refusing to cry while he tried to comfort Lucy.

But suddenly something started to pinch the children and then the train came to the station in an unnatural speed. And after the train was gone, they noticed that they weren’t in London anymore.

They were back in Narnia.


	5. Truth

The children happily ran out of the cave and into the water, happy to be back in Narnia. After a while of splashing in the water the other children noticed how Edmund wasn’t paying attention anymore.

Edmund showed them how on top of the cliff there was some form of ruins that weren’t there back when the Pevensies were in Narnia. After seeing this, the children abandoned the water and started to walk up to the cliff to get a closer look of the ruins.

They get on top of the cliff and notice how the ruins had been almost entirely covered in grass and trees, indicating that the ruins have been there for many years, centuries even.

‘’I wonder who lived here,’’ Lucy suddenly said. Just then Susan noticed a gold chess piece on the grass and picks it up.

‘’I think we did,’’ Susan says as she looks at the piece. Edmund turned to look at Susan and saw the piece in her hand.

‘’Hey, that’s mine…from my chess set,’’ Edmund says as he takes the piece from Susan’s hand.

‘’Which chess set?’’ Peter asks skeptically.

‘’Well, I didn’t exactly have a solid gold chess set in Finchley, did I?’’ Edmund says sarcastically as he looks at the chess piece. Just then Lucy starts to look around herself and starts to see familiarity in it.

‘’It can’t be,’’ she says as she starts to ran towards the stone slab.

‘’Don’t you see?’’ Lucy asks as she drags Peter with her while the others follow.

‘’What?’’ Peter asks not understanding.

‘’Imagine walls… And columns there… and a glass roof,’’ Lucy says as she places her sibling to their places, facing the now destroyed throne room.

‘’Cair Paravel,’’ Peter finally says. They immediately, after recognizing their old home, start to investigate more to understand what an earth had happened.

‘’Catapults,’’ Edmund says as he kneels in front of one big rock.

‘’What?’’ Peter asks behind him.

‘’This didn’t just happen. Cair Paravel was attacked,’’ Edmund explains, and the scary thought starts to enter into the children’s minds. Peter goes to the secret door that they had built back when they still lived there and with the help from Edmund they slide the stone wall away from the door.

And after Edmund takes out his flashlight, they all enter into the chamber, where five different chests are still waiting for them. All of the children goes to their own chest and start to search through them.

‘ _’When Aslan bears his teeth, winter meets its death_ ,’’ Peter suddenly reads from his sword.

‘ _’And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again_. Everyone we knew… Mr. Tumnus and the Beavers…and Mandi…they’re all gone,’’ Lucy says as they finally realize that even if Amanda had survived the attack on Cair Paravel, it all happened centuries ago. Meaning that their sister was…dead.

‘’I think it’s time we found out what’s going on,’’ Peter chokes out the words as he wipes the treacherous tears from his cheeks.

XXX

Hope took off her wet dress and threw it on the ground. She took a hold of the white dress Trufflehunter had given her and pulled it on. She was amazed how perfectly it fitted her, like it was made for her. The dress was pure snow white and it had wide sleeves, but on top of the sleeves there was a tightening to shorten the length a bit. There also was turquoise half corset and she secured it on place with yellow ribbon. In her opinion the [dress](https://armstreet.com/catalogue/full/medieval-flax-corset-belt-mistress-of-the-hills-1.jpg) was beautifully simple.

She then finger combed her messy blonde hair and started to braid the hair out of her face. She braided her hair from both sides and then connected them at the [back](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/08/7b/f5/087bf509bf5f985710113649c7b08c1c.jpg), leaving some hair freely falling to her back.

Just when she was securing the braids together she started to hear some commotion from the other room and hurriedly finished her braid and ran to the other room to see what was going on.

‘’See? I told you we should’ve killed him!’’ Hope heard Nikabrik say and as she ran into the room she saw Nikabrik pointing his sword towards Caspian, while Caspian held hot poker like a sword.

‘’You know why we can’t!’’ Trufflehunter yelled.

‘’If you’re taking a vote, I’m with him,’’ Caspian says gesturing towards Trufflehunter.

‘’We can’t let him go! He has seen us!’’ Nikabrik yells while swinging his sword so that Caspian stumbles on the steps.

‘’Stop it! Both of you,’’ Hope finally yells, making all three of them look at her. ‘’Fighting is not going to solve any of our problems,’’ she finally says as she walks next to Caspian and helps him up.

‘’I agree completely,’’ Trufflehunter says, ‘’Now, look what you made me do! I spent half the morning on that soup,’’ he says to Caspian as he starts to clean up the soup that had spilled on the floor.

‘’How are you so calm about this?’’ Caspian suddenly asks Hope.

‘’About what?’’ Hope asks not understanding what Caspian means.

‘’They’re…they’re Narnians. They’re supposed to be extinct,’’ Caspian says as he looks at the dwarf that tried to kill him and a talking badger.

‘’Sorry to disappoint you,’’ Nikabrik suddenly spats venomously.

‘’Nikabrik,’’ Hope hisses warningly. ‘’Caspian Narnians are not extinct. Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they don’t exist,’’ Hope explains.

‘’What?’’ Caspian ask, but then notices how Hopes hair has been pulled away from her face revealing her pointed ears, ‘’You’re…’’

‘’Yes, I’m a Narnian. I’m a Winter Nymph, last of my kind actually,’’ Hope explains as she takes the hot poker from Caspian and puts it back in its place. Caspian, while trying to proses the fact that his best friend turned out to be Narnian, sits on the step he fell a minute ago.

‘’Why didn’t you tell me?’’ Caspian asks.

‘’Caspian, while living among the Telmarines I had to hide it or be sentenced to death like my father, mother and aunt,’’ Hope explains.

‘’That’s what I told that old fool that you should’ve come to live here,’’ Nikabrik says.

‘’Nikabrik look at me right now, I barely stand up in my full height and my head still hits the ceiling. I couldn’t live here no matter how much I wanted to at the time,’’ Hope says as she stands up into her full height and revealing how her head bends as she straightens her back.

‘’Wait, you know them?’’ Caspian asks pointing at the dwarf and towards the badger, who’s still in the kitchen.

‘’Yes, they’re my uncles, well sort of,’’ Hope explains after seeing the disbelieving look on her friends face.

‘’Here we are. Still hot,’’ Trufflehunter says as he places a new bowl of soup on the table.

‘’Since when did we become a boarding house for Telmarine soldiers?’’ Nikabrik suddenly asks.

‘’I’m not a soldier! I’m Prince Caspian… the tenth,’’ Caspian explains.

‘’What are you doing here?’’ Nikabrik then asks feeling stunned by the revelation.

‘’Running away. My uncle has always wanted my throne. I suppose I have only lived this long because he did not have an heir of his own,’’ Caspian explains sadly while Hope walks up to him and places a comforting hand on his shoulder.

‘’Well, this changes things,’’ Trufflehunter says quietly.

‘’Yes… It means we won’t have to kill you ourselves,’’ Nikabrik says like it was a joke.

‘’Nikabrik!’’ Hope hisses once again.

‘’You’re right,’’ Caspian says and goes to get his armor and sword from the chair Hope had laid them earlier and starts to put them on.

‘’Where are you going?’’ Truffelhunter asks.

‘’My uncle will not stop until I am dead,’’ Caspian explains hurriedly.

‘’Wait, you’re meant to save us!’’ Trufflehunter says making Caspian stop, ‘’don’t you know what this is?’’ He asks as he lifts up the horn Caspian blew a while ago. This is the first time Hope really sees it and immediately recognizes it after seeing the engraved lion at the end of the horn.

‘’Queen Susan’s magic horn,’’ she whispers in awe.

XXX

After the children had gotten their clothes and weapons, they headed down to the river where they saw two soldiers holding a tied up dwarf like trying to drop him into the water.

And after they saved him and revealed to him that they were the kings and queens of Narnia they, and the once disbelieving dwarf, took the soldiers abandoned boat and started to row down the river to get to the Narnians.

While on the boat Lucy kept looking at the trees along the riverside, yet none of them had moved.

‘’They’re so still,’’ Lucy wondered out loud.

‘’They’re trees. What do you expect?’’ Trumpkin scoffed.

‘’They used to dance,’’ Lucy snapped back at the dwarf and Trumpkin just sighed at the too optimistic girl,

‘’It wasn’t long after you left that the Telmarines invaded. Couple of year’s rumor says. Those that survived retreated to the woods. And the trees have retreated so deeply inside themselves that no one has heard from them since,’’ Trumpkin explains.

‘’What happened to Mandi?’’ Edmund suddenly asked from the front.

‘’Who?’’ Trumpkin asked.

‘’Amanda Pevensie,’’ Susan clarified.

‘’The High Queen?’’ Trumpkin said surprising the children of their sister’s new title. ‘’She apparently after hearing about the coming invasion attempt ordered the Narnians out of the Cair Paravel and stayed herself to buy them time to escape. Narnians did escape, but she didn’t. Now she is seen as one of the most honorable Queens Narnia has ever seen,’’ Trumpkin explained while the children were now all in different state of grief. Peter couldn’t believe his twin had sacrificed her life to save all Narnians. Susan didn’t know how she could ever live up to be the good role model for Lucy she wanted, when her own big sister had done such a feet. Edmund actually could believe that his sister did something like this; she was after all loyal to the bone. Lucy was just sad to finally hear the testimony that her oldest sister was in fact dead.

‘’I don’t understand. How could Aslan have let this happen?’’ Lucy said while tears fell to her cheeks.

‘’Aslan? I thought he abandoned us after you lot did,’’ Trumpkin said.

‘’We didn’t mean to leave, you know,’’ Peter said, while his siblings knew that the hidden meaning behind Peter’s words was that he didn’t mean to leave Amanda to die.

‘’Doesn’t make much difference now, does it?’’ Trumpkin sighed.

‘’Get us to the Narnians and it will,’’ Peter finally said with strong and determined voice.


	6. Two worlds

A while later Caspian and Hope, after a brief argument, were walking in the woods trying to find a safe place to stay for the moment.

‘’I can hear you,’’ Caspian says after a while of listening Trufflehunter’s and Nikabrik’s not-so-subtle walking behind them. And as he says it, Trufflehunter and Nikabrik come out of hiding behind the trees.

‘’I just think we should wait for the kings and queens,’’ Trufflehunter tries to argue, but Caspian doesn’t want to hear it and continues to walk ahead. ‘’Fine, go then! See if the others will be as understanding,’’ Trufflehunter yells after him.

‘’Or maybe I’ll come with you. I want to see you explain things to the minotaurs,’’ Nikabrik says as he follows Caspian and Hope. That statement makes Caspian stop.

‘’Minotaurs? They’re real?’’ He asks when he turns around.

‘’And very bad tempered,’’ Trufflehunter says.

‘’Yeah, not to mention big,’’ Nikabrik adds.

‘’Huge,’’ The badger then says.

‘’Guy stop trying to scare him,’’ Hope smiles as she realizes what her two ‘uncles’ were doing. Caspian just smiles at her as they continue walking.

‘’What about centaurs? Do they still exist?’’ Caspian asks, eager to know more about Narnians.

‘’Well, the centaurs will probably fight on your side. But there’s no telling what the others will do,’’ Trufflehunter explains as he walks in front of Caspian and Hope.

‘’What about Aslan?’’ Caspian suddenly asks, making all Narnians with him to look at him in sort of awe.

‘’How do you know so much about us?’’ Nikabrik asks skeptically.

‘’Stories,’’ Caspian explains. And true to his words, Narnians had become over the years just bedtime stories for the children, but with time even those stories die out.

‘’Wait a minute…Your father told you stories about Narnia?’’ Trufflehunter asks.

‘’No, Hope…and my professor… Listen, I am sorry. These are not the kinds of questions you should be asking,’’ Caspian says still feeling sore about having to leave his grandfather figure back to the castle. Caspian then just walks ahead leaving the three Narnians to stand there and watch him with sad eyes.

Just then Trufflehunter starts to sniff the air.

‘’What is it?’’ Hope asks.

‘’Human,’’ Trufflehunter answers still sniffing the air.

‘’Him?’’ Nikabrik asks pointing at Caspian.

‘’No…them!’’ Trufflehunter says and point at the Telmarine soldiers that had somehow managed to find them. The soldiers spot them and start pointing their crossbows towards them.

‘’Run!’’ Caspian orders and everybody obeys and start running away from the soldiers. They run through the fern bushes while trying to avoid the arrows the soldiers fire at them.

But suddenly Trufflehunter gets shot into his leg and falls down.

‘’Trufflehunter!’’ Hope yells and was about to run to him when Caspian stops her.

‘’Wait, I’ll go!’’ He says and quickly runs to the fallen badger.

‘’Take it, go! It’s more important than I am!’’ Trufflehunter says and offers the horn to Caspian. But Caspian being the loyal man he is was not going to leave his friend behind.

And just when he manages to place the horn to his belt, the soldiers stand only fifteen feet away from him and were about to shoot. But then something in the bushes, something they couldn’t see, was making the soldiers fall down with a yell, giving Caspian the much needed time to take Trufflehunter to his shoulder and run away.

The remaining soldiers tried to follow them but mystery killer was chasing after them, killing them while running.

‘’Get him out of here,’’ Caspian says as he gives Trufflehunter to Hope, who with her longer legs could run faster with the badger than the dwarf. Caspian then ushers her to go while he draws his sword ready to fight for his and for his friends lives.

They watch as the remaining soldier draws his sword and slashes the fern bushes trying to kill the mystery killer. But eventually he too gets killed and falls down. They could see the bushed now moving indicating how the mystery killer was moving towards them.

Just them something jumps on Caspian making him fall and Hope yell in fright. Until they see what was the mystery killer.

It was a small mouse with feather on his ear and a small sword which he was pointing at Caspian, while standing on his chest.

‘’Choose your last words carefully, Telmarine!’’ The mouse says threateningly. And Caspian, being still dumbfounded by the revelation, chooses the first words that come to his mind,

‘’You are a mouse.’’ To that Hope just starts laughing out loud making everybody look at her. The mouse smiles a little and then sighs.

‘’While the lady shows my inner reaction as well, I was hoping for something a little more original. Come on, pick up your sword,’’ he orders Caspian who was still lying on the ground.

‘’Uh, no thanks,’’ Caspian says.

‘’Pick it up! I will not fight an unarmed man,’’ the honorable mouse says.

‘’Which is why I will live longer if I choose not to cross blades with you, noble mouse,’’ Caspian says politely.

‘’I said I wouldn’t fight you. I didn’t say I’d let you live!’’ The mouse then says.

‘’Reepicheep, stay your blade!’’ Trufflehunter suddenly yells from Hope’s arms.

‘’Trufflehunter? I trust you have a good reason for this untimely interruption!’’ The mouse, Reepicheep asks.

‘’He doesn’t. Go ahead,’’ Nikabrik says, making Hope glare at the dwarf.

‘’He’s the one that blew the horn!’’ Trufflehunter says pointing at Caspian.

‘’What?’’ Reepicheep asks amazed.

‘’Then let him bring it forward. This is the reason we have gathered,’’ One centaur, Glenstorm, says, while he and three other centaurs come forth.

Hope gently places Trufflehunter to the ground and walks next to Caspian, offering her hand to him.

‘’Still think we’re extinct?’’ She smiles at him while he smiles back and takes the offered hand and gets up.

XXX

That night the Centaurs had led them to the small opening where many Narnains had gathered. They were now shouting insults to the left and right as fast as they could since now they had someone to actually blame for.

Hope tried to be there for Caspian while the rest of the Narnains wanted to kill him or make him pay some other way.

‘’All this horn proves is that they’ve stolen yet another thing from us!’’ Nikabrik says.

‘’I didn’t steal anything,’’ Caspian tried to defend himself.

‘’Didn’t steal anything? Shall we list the things the Telmarmines have taken?’’ One minotaur yells at him.

‘’Our homes!’’

‘’Our freedom!’’

‘’Our lives!’’

‘’You would hold me accountable for all the crimes of my people?’’ Caspian asks after hearing the accusations.

‘’Accountable…and punishable!’’ NIkabrik says as he walks closer, but Hope moves to stand in front of Caspian, blocking him from the dwarf’s view. Up to this she has taken Nikabrik’s insults towards Caspian as light joking, but here he was ready to kill her best friend, that was the boiling point for her.

‘’You want to hurt him you’ll have to go through me first,’’ Hope hisses, surprising both Nikabrik and Caspian.

‘’The lady is brave as she is beautiful and completely right. That is rich coming from you, dwarf. Or have you forgotten that it was your people who fought alongside the White Witch?’’ Reepicheep says as he draws his sword.

‘’And I’d gladly do it again if it would rid us of these barbarians!’’ Nikabrik says venomously.

‘’Barbarians? I agree that what telamarines have done in the past is not actually civilized, but what you’re doing right now is no better. Trying to have an innocent man killed by the actions of his ancestors. We didn’t persecute you or the rest of your people for those dwarves actions with the White Witch did we now?’’ Hope spats, again surprising her ‘uncles’ for her now outspoken attitude and her loyalty for her friend.

‘’Hope is right that we are lucky it is not in your power to bring her back. Or do you want us to ask this boy to go against Aslan?’’ Trufflehunter asks as he in Hope’s relief is trying to defend Caspian. But his words cause commotion among the Narnains who up to this day still stay loyal to Aslan.

‘’Some of you may have forgotten, but we badgers remember well, that Narnia was never right except when a son of Adam was king,’’ Trufflehunter then says.

‘’He’s a Telmarine! Why would we want him as our king?’’ Nikabrik asks angrily.

‘’Because I can help you. Beyond these woods, I am a prince. The Telmarine throne is rightfully mine. Help me claim it, and I can bring peace between us,’’ Caspian offers like the true king, making Hope smile.

‘’It is true. The time is ripe. I watch the skies, for it is mine to watch as it is yours to remember, badger. Tarva, the Lord of Victory, and Alambil, the Lady of Peace have met, and here a son of Adam has come forth to offer us back our freedom,’’ Glenstorm says calmly.

‘’Is it possible? Do you really think there could be peace? Do you? I mean, really?’’ A squirrel in a tree asks Caspian.

‘’Two days ago, I didn’t believe in the existence of talking animals, or dwarfs, or centaurs. Yet, here you are… in strength in numbers we Telmarines could never have imagined. Whether this horn is magic or not, it brought us together. And together, we have a chance to take back what is ours,’’ Caspian says like a true leader. This was when Hope knew that Caspian would be the King she would gladly follow.

‘’If you will lead us, then my sons and I offer you our swords,’’ Glenstorm says as he, among every Narnain on the opening, draws their weapons to prove their loyalty to Caspian and his cause.

‘’And we offer you our lives…unreservedly,’’ Reepicheep says as he bows in front of Caspian.

‘’Miraz’ army will not be far behind, sire,’’ Trufflehunter reminds Caspian.

‘’If we are to be ready for them, we must hurry to find soldiers and weapons. I am sure they will be here soon,’’ Caspian says. Hope then places her hand to his shoulder.

‘’They will come, but we’ll be ready for them. We can do this, together,’’ Hope smiles as Caspian places his hand over hers and smiles back.

They made a plan to attack the soldiers who were currently building a bridge on the river as Caspian knew they carried a lot of weapons with them. But they were going to do it later at night. So in the mean time they lighted a fire and were going to rest to build their strength.

Hope sat next to Caspian on a log close to the fire.

‘’Do you think I can do it? Be a King?’’ Caspian suddenly asked after what he had just promised to the Narnains had sunk in.

‘’Of course I do. I’ve been through too much with you to start doubting you now,’’ Hope smiled at him, but he just hung his head still doubting himself. Hope then looked around herself until,

 _‘’Put your faith in what you most believe in,’’_ she sang as she placed her hand under Caspian’s chin and lifted it so their eyes met.

 _‘’Two worlds, one family,’’_ she gestured towards the Narnains who were sitting around the fire.

 _‘’Trust your heart,’’_ Hope then placed her hand over Caspian’s heart where she felt the familiar safe bumping.

_‘’Let fate decide_

_To guide these lives we see.’’_ Hope again gestured the Narnains, who were now Caspian’s responsibility.

Hope then jumped up from the log and with her white dress moving around her legs, she started to dance along the upbeat music that some of the fauns were playing on the background.

_‘’Put your faith in what you most believe in_

_Two worlds, one family_

_Trust your heart_

_Let fate decide_

_To guide these lives we see,’’_ Hope sang as she danced around the fire attracting the attention of the Narnains who started to listed her soft and beautiful voice.

_‘’A paradise untouched by man_

_Within this worlds blessed with love_

_A simple life, they live in peace,’’_

_‘’Softly tread the ground below your feet now_

_Two worlds, one family_

_Trust your heart_

_Let fate decide_

_To guide these lives we see,’’_ Hope gestured the Narnains who were now all listening her sing. Caspian couldn’t help but to smile for Hope’s effort to try and cheer him up, which usually was by singing and Caspian never minded since her voice was beautiful to listen and he could stay there and listen it for eternity and never get bored.

_‘’Beneath the shelter of the trees_

_Only love can enter here_

_A simple life, they live in peace,’’_ Just then Hope took Caspian’s hands and pulled him from the log so he was standing very close to her while she held his hands.

_‘’Raise your head up_

_Lift high the load_

_Take strength from those that need you_

_Build high the walls_

_Build strong the beams_

_A new life is waiting_

_But danger's no stranger here,’’_ Hope then finished her song and the Narnains applauded to her.

‘’Now you see what I mean? If you believe in yourself and the Narnains who are ready to follow you, you can do this,’’ Hope said and, to Caspian’s surprise, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. And once again Caspian couldn’t help but to blush. ‘’Believe in yourself like I believe in you,’’ she finally whispered to his ear and then she let go off his hands and moved to go to talk to Trufflehunter, who started praising her singing.

Caspian touched the cheek she had kissed and somehow his confidence had grown and now he felt like he could do this. With Hope by his side he felt like he could move mountains.


	7. Kings and Queens of the Old

In the early morning Caspian led some of the Narnians to attack the river workers and get the much needed weapons. The attack went surprisingly smoothly, probably due to the element of surprise the Narnians had.

Caspian returned to the Aslan’s How where the rest of the Narnians had gathered during the raid and with him was every Narnian he took with him and with them they had many weapons. Swords, bows and arrows, crossbows you name it. Also some armor they were able to get. Caspian with a heavy heart gave one sword to Hope so that she could protect herself, but he made her promise to stay out of harm’s way and Hope promised to an extend to be careful. She had no intention just to sit idly while Caspian, her best friend, was out there risking his neck for _her_ people.

Later in the morning Caspian went on a patrol in case some Telmarines were able to follow them, but surprisingly he saw a young blonde haired man, clearly not a Telmarine, about to attack a Minotaur, who was still oblivious to the danger. Caspian quickly drew his sword and attacked the boy. First thing Caspian notice was that the boy was very young, maybe even younger than he and the second thing was that he was a very good swordsman.

The boy managed to hit Caspian to his face, cutting his lip and then managed to make Caspian lose his sword. But the boy was apparently angry and so he made a mistake to not keep an eye on his environment and hit his sword to the tree trunk. And while his sword was stuck Caspian kicked the boy out of the way and pulled the sword from the trunk.

But then they heard a young female voice shout,

‘’No stop!’’ Caspian looked and saw a very young girl, with shoulder length brown hair, standing there with a worried look in her eyes. Just then the rest of Caspian’s camp came forward, probably hearing the fighting.

The boy then turns to look at Caspian,

‘’Prince Caspian?’’ He asks, while Caspian points the sword to his neck.

‘’Yes. And who are you?’’ Caspian asks suspiciously.

‘’Peter!’’ They then hear another female voice yell and just then another girl, a bit younger than the boy, Peter, in front of Caspian and a younger boy, with a blonde dwarf, come to the clearing. Just then, after hearing the boy’s name, Caspian looks at the sword in his hand and sees the engraving of the lion on its handle.

‘’High King Peter?’’ Caspian then asks.

‘’I believe you called,’’ King Peter says.

‘’Well yes, but…I thought you’d be older,’’ Caspian says as he looks at the indeed very young man in front of him.

‘’Well, if you’d like, we can come back in a few years,’’ Peter says and is about to leave, feeling a bit insulted by the statement.

‘’No! No, that’s alright. You’re just…You’re not exactly what I expected,’’ Caspian hurriedly says as he looks at the Kings and Queens, children, in front of him. They may be young, but Caspian truly needs all the help he can get.

‘’Caspian!’’ They then hear Hope yelling as she runs to Caspian. ‘’Are you alright?’’ She asks tenderly while gently brushing her thumb over Caspian’s cut lip, making faint shivers go down Caspian’s spine.

‘’Amanda!’’ They hear the youngest Queen shout and within a second the young queen had flung herself to Hope’s arms, making both of them fall to the ground. The other Kings and Queen all held the same disbelieving look on their faces.

‘’You’re alive. I can’t believe you’re alive,’’ the young queen kept saying while hugging Hope’s waist, while Hope looked Caspian as if asking an explanation that he couldn’t provide.

‘’Excuse me, but who are you?’’ Hope then asked, making the Queen look up and the look on her face was like something Hope had said was breaking her heart. The oldest of the royals, Peter, then came forth and helped the young queen off of Hope, while Caspian helped Hope up.

‘’I’m sorry about Lucy,’’ Peter said while holding the girl, Lucy, in front of him, ‘’but you look exactly like our…dead sister Amanda so she must have confused you two,’’ Peter quickly explained. And true to his word they all had mistaken the young woman in front of them to be Amanda, until she uttered the shattering words. And now, as Peter looks at the woman more closely, he notices the slightly pointed ears peaking from under her partly braided hair, indicating that she wasn’t Amanda.

‘’It’s alright. But are you truly the Kings and Queens of the Old? I’m sorry, but you’re not exactly what we expected,’’ Hope repeats Caspian’s thoughts.

‘’Neither are you,’’ the youngest king suddenly says while turning his eyes from Hope and turning to look at the Narnians around them.

‘’A common enemy unites even the oldest of foes,’’ Trufflehunter says, indicating how Minotaurs and dwarfs used to be the Kings’ and Queens’ enemies during the Times of the Old.

‘’We have anxiously awaited your return, My Liege. Our hearts and swords are at your service,’’ Reepicheep says to Peter while he honorably bows.

‘’Oh my gosh, he is so cute,’’ Lucy then whispers to her older sister, making Hope snigger a bit.

‘’Who said that?’’ Reepicheep demands, while pulling his sword.

‘’Sorry,’’ Lucy says quietly.

‘’Oh, uh…Your Majesty. With the greatest respect…I do believe ‘courageous’, ‘courteous’, or ‘chivalrous’ might more befit a knight of Narnia,’’ Reepicheep kindly corrects the young queen.

‘’Well, at least we know some of you can handle a blade,’’ Peter says to the mouse, indicating how Caspian wouldn’t know how to use one, even though Caspian had beaten him in their fight and the boy was now making Hope despise him even more for his arrogance.

‘’Yes, indeed. And I have recently put it to good use acquiring weapons for your army, sire,’’ Reepicheep says to Peter.

‘’Good, because we’re going to need every sword we can get,’’ Peter says while turning to look at Caspian and Hope.

‘’Well then, you’ll probably be wanting yours back,’’ Caspian says as he offers the sword back to Peter, who takes it without even a thanks.

And so they start to lead the Kings and Queens to the How. And of course after Hope noticed her other ‘uncle’ Trumpkin with the royals she immediately gave him a big hug which he awkwardly returned but was no less happy to see her.

Caspian was in the lead with the prat…ups sorry, with Peter, oh Hope is still yet to forgive him for his arrogance. Hope herself was walking with the youngest queen giving her some female company while Trumpkin complained about the royals to Nikabrik and Trufflehunter. Of course Hope knew that Trumpkin liked to put up a though front, but underneath he was a big softie, so he didn’t really mean all the complaints he said.

When they got to the How the Royals were amazed by the structure of the refuge. The Centaurs formed a sword pathway to the royals, which in Hope’s opinion was a bit much and probably unnecessary. Caspian was of course little put out by the action, but the Royals walked on like this was something that they had expected.

Hope put a comforting hand on Caspian’s shoulder to ensure that the Royals coming to help them was not a sign of Caspian suddenly losing his leadership. Hopefully, although Hope did notice how the oldest King had a tendency to act like a leader. Which was good, but he also must remember that he no longer rules Narnia, its Caspian’s future responsibility.

They enter into the How where the Narnians were sharpening and fixing their old and new weapons.

‘’It may not be what you are used to, but it is defensible,’’ Caspian explains to the kings.

‘’Peter, you may want to see this,’’ the oldest queen, Susan, calls. They follow the queen to the stone corridor that walls were filled with pictures of the Kings and Queens during the time before their rein and after. Even the now dead Queen Amanda was drawn to the wall.

‘’It’s us,’’ Susan deducts after looking at the pictures.

‘’What is this place?’’ Lucy asks.

‘’You don’t know?’’ Hope asks. After looking at the faces of the Royals Hope gestures to Caspian who takes a torch from the wall and they lead the Royals to the dark chamber. Caspian lights the oil pool that surrounds the chamber and reveals the cracked altar where Aslan himself once gave his life instead of the traitor and then rose from the dead.

Lucy then walks closer to the altar and gently touches it. If Hope remembered correctly the youngest queen was always more close to the Aslan than the rest of her siblings.

‘’He must know what he’s doing,’’ Lucy then says after she looks at her siblings.

‘’I think it’s up to us now,’’ Peter says, probably having lost faith in Aslan after hearing how long he has been gone. And unfortunately many Narnians share his point of view.


	8. Battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So any of you who have read any of my other stories know that I suck at writing battle scenes. So sorry if this chapter’s battle sucks, that’s the reason. Enjoy  
> Love you all,  
> Snow

Later a watcher faun had noticed one of the Telmarine soldiers watching the How and reported back to Peter and Caspian. Peter immediately called up a war meeting to discuss how things should go here on now, taking Caspian’s leadership almost entirely from him.

‘’It’s only a matter of time. Miraz’ men and war machines are on their way. That means those same men aren’t protecting his castle,’’ Peter said to them. And while Hope still thought Peter to be and somewhat arrogant jerk, he did have some war experience.

‘’What do you propose we do, Your Majesty?’’ Reepicheep asked.

‘’We…’’

‘’Our…’’ Caspian and Peter said the same time since they both are royalty and leaders to the Narnians. But Caspian after noticing this backed out, leaving Peter to take charge.

‘’Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us,’’ Peter says.

‘’But that’s crazy, no one has ever taken that castle,’’ Caspian tries to argue, knowing how dangerous that kind of mission would be.

‘’There’s always a first time,’’ Peter then says.

‘’But now you can’t rely on luck here. You have to be sure. And battling on an enemy’s territory it’s dangerous to not know what to expect,’’ Hope said supporting Caspian as she has grown up in that castle and knows how well its protected, not only by men, but also with weaponry and high walls.

And her outbursts surprises both Peter and Caspian. And while Caspian looks crateful for her support, Peter’s not so much, as she is pretty much questioning his leadership, which he doesn’t like. And the fact that she shares the same face with his now dead sister doesn’t help, as it brings back the memory of his biggest failure, which resulted him losing one the most important people to him.

‘’But we’ll have the element of surprise,’’ Trumpkin then says.

‘’But we have the advantage here,’’ Caspian once again argues.

‘’If we dig in, we could probably hold them off indefinitely,’’ the oldest Queen, Susan agrees. Hope had immediately liked the younger girl since she showed to possess the most level head from the small group of royals. And Peter once again doesn’t like when his leadership is been questioned, even if it’s by his sister.

‘’I, for one, feel safer underground,’’ Trufflehunter agrees with Caspian, Hope and Susan.

‘’Look, I appreciate what you’ve done, but this isn’t a fortress, it’s a tomb.’’ Peter says to Caspian. And while he does make a good point, the way he says it makes it sound like Caspian was just filling in until he got here, making Hope’s anger flare up once again.

‘’Yes, and if the Telmarines are smart, they’ll just starve us out,’’ the youngest king, Edmund, said. He also seemed to be a very reasonable boy for his age, even if he did seem to agree a bit too quickly with his brother.

‘’We could collect nuts!’’ One of the squirrels says.

‘’Oh yes, and throw them at the Telmarines! …Shut up!’’ Reepicheeps snaps at the Squirrel, ‘’I think you know where I stand on this, Sire,’’ he says to Peter.

‘’If I can get your troops in, can you handle the guards?’’ Peter then asks Glenstorm. And they all wait for his answer and Hope really wishes he would say no and put an end to this ridiculous and highly dangerous idea.

‘’Or die trying, my liege,’’ Glenstorm then agrees.

‘’That’s what I’m worried about,’’ they suddenly hear Lucy say from the altar.

‘’Sorry?’’ Peter asks.

‘’Well, you’re all acting like there are only two options: Dying here, or dying there,’’ and she makes a good point.

‘’I’m not sure you’ve really been listening, Lu,’’ Peter says, underestimating his youngest sibling.

‘’No, you’re not listening. Or have you forgotten who _really_ defeated the White Witch, Peter?’’ Lucy says hitting straight to Peter’s pride.

‘’I think we’ve waited for Aslan long enough,’’ Peter says, while his pride is hurting as he is about to walk away. Until,

‘’While it’s good to have confidence in yourself, too much of it can be catastrophic. A good leader thinks before he acts, and he even thinks what can happen if things go wrong and how he can possibly lessen the blow. Remember, Peter, that a good leader doesn’t think with his pride, he thinks with his heart,’’ Hope says as she walks close to Peter and places her hand over his heart, where she feels a rapid beat, ‘’This is a new kind of playground and even a King as great as you has to adapt to its rules or you’re going to lose. And not only will you lose your life, you will lose the lives of many of your followers,’’ Hope finally says as she lets her hand fall to her side as she walks away from the Altar Chamber, leaving everyone stunned by her wise words.

Peter suddenly feels an ache in his heart as he realizes that those words were exactly what Amanda would have said to him. And as soon as he lets himself think of her, he feels the pain in his chest for knowing that he will never hear her lips say any comfort to him ever again. Only memories remain.

Later it had been planned how the attack would take place. Peter had immediately forbidden Lucy from joining as she had the least war experience and was the youngest of them all. And Hope for once agreed with Peter as she had in the small amount of time she had known the royals developed a strong protectiveness towards the youngest queen, as well as towards Edmund and Susan. Even some part of her wanted to protect Peter, but his own arrogance and short sightedness prevented her from feeling too protective.

Trufflehunter after hearing the plan had pointed out to Hope how her dress would stick out as they were to attack during the night and her pure white dress would be very visible. So she immediately went to some of the female fauns to ask if they had something more suitable to wear.

The fauns gave her a dark blue [dress](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/2c/8b/d7/2c8bd7a415a94fee05f0ef50726788a5.jpg) and a silver sleeveless dress, which had some vine patterns at the bottom, to go over it. She then went to the armory and took a silver belt to put on to her waist and to the sheath she strapped her sword she was about to bring along. And as she put on her boots she put to daggers into them, just in case of an emergency.

She then tied her hair in a high ponytail and then walked to the bigger chamber to see Caspian trying to put on his black leather armor.

‘’Here, let me help,’’ Hope said as she helped Caspian to put on the armor.

‘’Thank you,’’ he then says as he turns around to look at Hope, ‘’you look beautiful,’’ he then says when he sees how beautiful Hope looks in the dark dress.

‘’Thank you, but I don’t think that’s the idea of this gown,’’ Hope teases as she steps slightly closer towards Caspian, whose cheeks were becoming very red.

‘’Never the less you look beautiful no matter what you wear,’’ Caspian says as he takes a hold of Hope’s hands and pulls her even closer. ‘’You must promise me that you’ll be careful. I can’t even begin to think what I would do if something were to happen to you,’’ he says.

‘’I promise as long as you promise the same. I can’t, or even want to, live without you in this world,’’ Hope says as she steps so close that their bodies were touching each other. She could feel Caspian’s warm breath on her cheeks and could almost hear his heartbeat through the armor. Caspian then starts to lean his head closer towards hers and just as she was about to close her eyes, they hear Peter and Edmund walking into the chamber. And while the young royals were busy discussing the plan together Caspian and Hope quickly pulled away from each other and looks at the royals, while trying to hide their flushing cheeks.

‘’Everything alright?’’ Peter then asks, most likely referring to the upcoming attack instead of what just happened between the prince and the Nymph. Peter had also changed his shirt and tunic to a dark burgundy shirt and leather vest, while Edmund had dark brown shirt and also a leather vest.

‘’Yes, we were just waiting for you,’’ Caspian says while Hope nods her head.

‘’Great,’’ Peter says as Susan comes with Lucy to the chamber. Susan had changed her purple dress to a light blue shirt and a leather west over it and a dark purple dress. She already had her bow and quiver on her back.

‘’You ready?’’ She asks as she walks up to them.

‘’Yes,’’ Peter then says.

‘’Be careful and promise you’ll come back,’’ Lucy then says. Peter of course tries to reassure her that everything will be fine, but Hope suddenly has an urge to reassure the young girl like it was something she should do.

And so she walks to Lucy and kneels in front of her.

‘’Don’t worry we’ll be just fine. I’ll look after that big oaf of a brother of yours,’’ she chuckles gesturing towards Peter, making Lucy laugh a little too, while they can hear a light protest from Peter. Hope then does something she didn’t expect to do, she hugs Lucy. ‘’Don’t worry little one, you’ll be in my heart. Always,’’ she whispers to Lucy’s ear. She can hear a small gasp from the young girl as she rises from her knees.

‘’Ready?’’ She then asks.

‘’As we’ll ever be,’’ Susan answers as they start to walk outside.

XXX

The plan was that the royals, Caspian, Hope and Trumpkin were to fly with the griffins to the castle and then get inside through the Doctor’s window and the rest of the Narnians would come in through the front gate after it was opened. Edmund would go first and then from the high tower he would send the others a sign with his light device he called a flash light.

And when they saw the light from the tower they were ready to go. They flew into the castle and after descending they battled their way through some of the Telmarine soldiers. They then throw a rope over the edge of the wall and start descending it to get to the Doctor’s window.

‘’Professor?’’ Caspian whispers as he knocks on the window. And as he doesn’t get any response from the inside he uses his dagger to open the lock and opens the window. They get inside to notice that the room was empty, save the books and scrolls the Doctor had scattered around the room.

‘’I have to find him,’’ Caspian says as he holds a pair of the Doctor’s spectacles.

‘’You don’t have time. You have to get to the gatehouse,’’ Peter argues.

‘’You wouldn’t even be here without him. And neither would we,’’ Caspian says as he lock his eyes with Hope, who also was worried about the Doctor.

‘’We can take care of Miraz,’’ Susan then says to Peter.

‘’And I can still make it to the gatehouse in time,’’ Caspian says as he starts to walk away.

‘’Caspian, wait. I’m coming too,’’ Hope says as she follows him. Caspian gives her a quick glance as if he was about to argue, but then decides otherwise and just nods.

They quickly head to the dungeons as they knew that’s where Miraz would lock the Doctor. They enter in and see the Doctor sleeping in one of the cells. Caspian quickly opens the cell and kneels next to the Doctor as he shakes him a bit to wake him up, while Hope stands at the doorway to make sure no soldiers would surprise them.

‘’Five more minutes?’’ Caspian jokes when he sees the Doctor awake.

‘’What are you doing here? … I didn’t help you escape just so you could get captured again. You have to get out before Miraz learns you’re here,’’ the Doctor says when he sees Caspian.

‘’He’ll learn soon enough. We are giving him your cell,’’ Caspian says and is about to leave when the Doctor pushes him to the wall to face him.

‘’Don’t underestimate Miraz as your father did,’’ he then gasps, making both Caspian’s and Hope’s eyes widen by this revelation.

‘’What are you talking about?’’ Caspian asks.

‘’I’m sorry,’’ the Doctor then apologizes. But that’s enough for Caspian who shakes the Doctor away from him and runs off.

‘’Caspian!’’ Hope whisper yells to him, before running after him, not wanting him to get into any trouble.

Hope runs after Caspian and is actually not surprised that Caspian goes to Miraz’s bed chamber and pulls out his sword on to Miraz’s neck to wake him up. Miraz then looks at Caspian and chuckles,

‘’Thank goodness… you’re safe,’’ he says.

‘’Get up,’’ Caspian orders not lowering his sword. Miraz starts to rise from the bed and his wife next to him wakes up as well. That’s when Hope draws her sword, just in case.

‘’Caspian?’’ Prunaprismia asks when she noticed Caspian and Hope at the door.

‘’Stay where you are,’’ Caspian orders her.

‘’What are you doing?’’ She then asks.

‘’I should think it’s obvious, dear. You know, some might consider this inappropriate behavior,’’ Miraz says.

‘’That doesn’t seem to have stopped you,’’ Caspian says as he presses the sword a little deeper into Miraz’s neck.

‘’But you’re not like me, are you? … It’s sad. The first time you so any backbone, and it’s such a waste,’’ Miraz says to Caspian.

‘’Put the sword down, Caspian. I don’t want to do this,’’ Prunaprismia says as she points a crossbow at Caspian.

‘’And I really don’t want to do this,’’ Hope says as she points her sword a little closer to Prunaprismia’s chest as she turns her head to look at her with a shocked expression.

That’s when Peter and Susan enter the room their weapons drawn as well.

‘’This used to be a private room,’’ Miraz huffs when he noticed another pair of intruders.

‘’Caspian, what are you doing? You’re supposed to be at the gatehouse,’’ Peter says.

‘’No! Tonight, for once, I want the truth! Did you kill my father?’’ Caspian breathes as he moves towards Miraz, his sword still firmly on his neck.

‘’Now we get to it,’’ Miraz then says.

‘’You told me your brother died in his sleep,’’ Prunaprismia then says, shocked by what her husband had done.

‘’That was more or less true,’’ Miraz admits.

‘’Caspian, this won’t make things any better,’’ Susan tries to argue while she point her bow and arrow.

‘’We Telmarines would have nothing had we not taken it. Your father knew that as well as anyone,’’ Miraz then says to Caspian.

‘’How could you?’’ Prunaprismia then asks as she lowers her bow.

‘’For the same reason you will pull that trigger! For our son,’’ Miraz then spats.

‘’Stop!’’ The Lady tries to say.

‘’Stay where you are,’’ Hope says as she points her sword a little higher.

‘’You must choose. Do you want our child to be king or do you want him to be like Caspian here? Fatherless!’’ Miraz yells.

‘’No!’’ Prunaprismia yells as she shoots an arrow to Caspian’s arm.

‘’Caspian!’’ Hope yells and quickly gets to him while Susan tries to stop Miraz from escaping with her arrows, but unfortunately fails.

‘’Hold still, this is going to hurt,’’ Hope says to Caspian and before he has time to ask any questions she pulls out the arrow, making Caspian yell because of the pain. ‘’Sorry,’’ she then says as she quickly rips the hem of her dress to bandage the wound.

‘’Thank you,’’ Caspian gasps.

They then quickly run outside to escape, but they see Peter run to the other direction.

‘’Peter!’’ Susan yells after him.

‘’Our army is just outside! Come on,’’ he yells and they all then follow him. They follow him and when they enter the courtyard they see him trying to turn the wheel to open the gate.

‘’Peter, it’s too late! We have to call it off while we still can!’’ Susan tries to reason with Peter as the warning bells are now ringing around them.

‘’No, I can still do this! Help me!’’ Peter says and they then help Peter open the heavy gate.

‘’Just who exactly are you doing this for, Peter?’’ Hope then spats as they turn the wheel. Just then the army of Narnians runs through the gate and they all pull out their weapons.

‘’For Narnia!’’ Peter yells as they too run towards the Telmarine soldiers. They enter into the battle and for a start everything goes well. Hope, because her training with the Telmarines, knows their armors weak spots. Shoulder, neck, thighs and legs. And those were the spots she tries to hit to get the maximum effect.

But then the Telmarines get over the shock and start to attack with everything they got and as they knew the landscape better than Narnians, so unfortunately they had the advantage.

And the in the heat of the battle the weight that held the gate in place falls down and the gate was about to close, trapping the Narnians in the small place to be killed. But then one of the Minoutaurs stands in the gate way holding the gate open long enough so that the Narnians inside could escape.

‘’Fall back! Retreat, now!’’ They hear Peter’s order and are quick to follow as they didn’t have much time anymore. Susan helps Hope to get on to one of the centaurs back as they tried to escape. But then she turned back to see Peter behind them.

‘’Caspian!’’ She yells worriedly as she didn’t see him anywhere, making Peter turn around.

‘’I’ll find him!’’ Peter yells back at her. And so Hope was left worrying for both Caspian and Peter along with Edmund who was still in the tower.

From the distance they could see how both Peter and Caspian got out of the courtyard, but then the Minotaur lost his strength and collapsed making the gate fall down, trapping many of the remaining Narnains inside the castle walls. Hope then buried her head onto Susan’s shoulder as she sobbed for the lives lost in this battle that resulted into nothing.


	9. The White Witch

The remaining army of Narnians returns to the How with somber expressions. The battle had gained them nothing, but cost way too much. As they return Lucy was there waiting for them at the entrance.

‘’What happened?’’ She asks when she sees the tragically smaller army.

‘’Ask him,’’ Peter spats towards Caspian.

‘’Peter,’’ Susan tries to warn him.

‘’Me? You could have called it off. There was still time,’’ Caspian argues.

‘’No there wasn’t thanks to you. If you’d kept to the plan, those soldiers might be alive right now,’’ Peter argues back.

‘’And, if you’d just stayed here like I suggested, they definitely would be!’’ Caspian spats as they try to find the one responsible for this catastrophe.

‘’You called us, remember?’’ Peter remind Caspian.

‘’My first mistake,’’ Caspian then admits.

‘’No. Your first mistake was thinking you could lead these people,’’ Peter then says as he is about to enter the How.

‘’Hey!’’ Caspian yells making Peter turn around. ‘’I am not the one who abandoned Narnia,’’ he then spats.

‘’You invaded Narnia. You killed my sister. You have no more right to it than Miraz does!’’ Peter accuses as Caspian then tries to go to the How. ‘’You, him, your father… Narnia’s better off without the lot of you!’’ Peter then yells and that finally woke Hope from her catatonic sorrow and she knew Peter had just struck a low blow.

Caspian then yells in rage and draws his sword and it seem that the two royals are about to start a real physical fight. Until,

‘’Stop it!’’ Edmund yells from behind them. They all turn around to see Glenstorm set down an injured Trumpkin. After seeing this Lucy immediately runs over and takes out her healing cordial and drops a couple drops into his mouth.

Hope looks around herself and sees one of the centaurs who was with the army giving his sorrowful news to an elderly female faun, whose son was inside the castle when the gate closed. Hope watches as the faun falls to her knees in tears after hearing her son’s fate.

Hope then tearfully looks at the scene before her. Her uncle was injured, their army was in shambles and Caspian and Peter were blaming each other even if it would do no good even if the one actually responsible was found.

_‘’No words describe a mother's tears,_

_No words can heal a broken heart._

_The dream is gone, but where there's hope,_

_Someone is calling for you._

_Two worlds, one family,_

_Trust your heart,_

_Let fate decide,_

_To guide these lives we see,’’_ Hope sang quietly as Caspian and Peter both, along with some Narnians, turn to look at her as the tears run down her cheeks. Just then Caspian shamefully bows his head as he starts to walk into the How while he sheathed his sword.

Just then Trumpkin coughs a couple times and then opens his eyes.

‘’What are you all standing around for? The Telmarines will be here soon enough,’’ he says after seeing the people around him. And just when Lucy is about to stand up he stops her, ‘’Thank you, my dear little friend,’’ he finishes making Lucy smile.

XXX

A while Later Hope was helping Susan tend to the injured Narnians. Surprisingly out of all of the Royals Hope identified most with Susan. Susan as she had earlier realized possessed a level head and was very motherly to her siblings, something Hope didn’t have any experience. If one doesn’t count the many times back at the castle when she was left as a babysitter to some of the servants’ children. But usually Hope would drag Caspian along with her to ‘suffer’ as he usually put it.

‘’You like him, don’t you?’’ Susan suddenly asked.

‘’Who?’’ Hope said not understanding.

‘’Caspian. I can see you two together and it is pretty obvious,’’ she smiles as Hope flushes deep red.

‘’No, we’re just friends,’’ Hope tries to say.

‘’Was that almost kiss before the battle just a friendly kiss too,’’ the Queen then teases making Hope’s blush turn very crimson for knowing that one of the royal had seen that quick moment between her and Caspian.

‘’Don’t tell anyone. Besides, I don’t think he likes me that way,’’ Hope finally admits her feelings.

‘’Are you kidding me? He’s crazy over you. He always tries to make sure you’re okay before anything and he wants you by his side all the time,’’ Susan then says. But before Hope has anytime to respond they see Lucy run towards the Altar Camper.

They quickly look at each other and then run after them. They enter the Chamber and see a huge wall of ice between the two main pillars and inside the ice was the spirit of the White Witch. And in front of her was Peter standing his sword pointed at her, while Caspian was lying on the ground next to him.

Trumpkin was on the side shielding Lucy and dead on his feet was the body of Nikabrik.

‘’Peter dear… I have missed you. Come, just one drop,’’ the Witch says as she raises her hand from the ice towards Peter. ‘’You know you can’t do this alone.’’

Peter hesitates for a moment and lowers his sword. But just then a sword was struck behind the ice, right through the Witch’s chest. The ice cracked and finally shattered, banishing the Witch back to the Underworld. They all look and see Edmund behind the pillars his sword pointed.

‘’I know. You had it sorted,’’ he then sarcastically spats at Peter for even considering of freeing the Witch, who would only bring destruction to the land if she were allowed to live again.

Peter and Caspian then turn around and see Susan and Hope standing at the doorway disappointment clearly written on their faces as they turn around and walk away from the young men.

Later Hope was sitting alone in the How when Trumpkin sits next to him.

‘’Why would Nikabrik do it?’’ She finally asked after a long silence.

‘’Nikabrik has lived long and seen many of his kinsmen and friends die. He had grown bitter and desperate. He wanted this war finally to end and he knew that the White Witch would bring victory to the Narnians,’’ Trumpkin explained, feeling just as sad to lose an old friend. ‘’And you mustn’t feel too angry towards the young King and Prince. The Witch is a powerful manipulator. She uses one’s weaknesses and turns it against them. She’s not above of playing dirty. And her enchanting powers have always been her strong point. So you must forgive the royals as they unfortunately fell under her spell. And I think they feel bad enough without you feeling mad at them,’’ Trumpkin finally said when he rose and left hope for her thoughts.

Hope then too rose from the ground and walks up to the roof of the How and sees Caspian sitting there alone watching the forest in front of him.

‘’Hi, how are you?’’ Hope asks when she sits next to him.

‘’Not great. First the failed battle and now me almost giving up to that Witch. I’m not even a king yet and I’m already failing,’’ Caspian says.

‘’Caspian even the king is human and is so bound to make mistakes. But what makes a good king is not gravity of the mistake, but what he will do to fix it,’’ Hope says as she puts her hand to Caspian’s cheek and turns his head so he looks at her, ‘’If you just fall into self-pity then yes you have failed miserably, but if you just admit that you made a mistake and then do your hardest to fix it, that is what counts the most. You still have a chance to fix this mistake. We can still win. I believe it and I still believe in you,’’ Hope says as she takes a hold of Caspian’s hands.

‘’Thank you, I don’t know what I would do without you,’’ Caspian then admits.

‘’Good thing you’ll always have me,’’ Hope then says. They look at each other for a moment and then Caspian places his hand behind Hope’s neck and without any hesitation pulls her closer towards him until their lips meet. At first Hope is surprised, but then she melts into the kiss and kisses him back. She places her hand to Caspian’s chest and the other to his hair and pulls closer. This is what she has been dreaming about for a long time without telling her desire to anyone.

And Caspian is feeling just as much joy. He had admired Hope for as long as he can remember and for years he has harbored a secret crush on her. Every time another man gave her any attention send a spark of jealousy through him. His love for Hope just grew every passing day and now that they were in the middle of war the fear of losing her gave him the courage to kiss her before it was too late. Caspian honestly couldn’t imagine a life without her and he would do anything to ensure her survival.

They finally pull away from the kiss to catch their breath.

‘’I love you,’’ Caspian finally admits, ‘’I have loved you the moment I met you. You were my first friend and you were the only one who treaded me equally. I love you so much,’’ he finally confessed making tears form into Hope’s eyes.

‘’I love you too. You too were my first friend and you brought me out of my shell after my family died. I love you, always have,’’ Hope finally confessed and after hearing that Caspian pulled her into another kiss. This one held all their emotions as they let their feelings guide each other.


	10. Prince Charming

The kiss didn’t last long as Caspian spotted a Telmarine army emerging from the forest and marching towards the How.

‘’Wait here, I’ll go get the Royals,’’ Hope says as she stands up and runs into the How, leaving Caspian at the edge to watch the ever closing army in front of him.

Hope runs inside the stone corridors and the first Royal she sees is Edmund talking with Trumpkin.

‘’Edmund!’’ She yells and her shout makes them both turn their heads towards her. ‘’The Telmarine’ army is at the front of the How. We better warn Peter,’’ she says and after hearing this both Edmund’s and Trumpkin’s eyes widen from shock.

‘’You lad go get your brother, Hope and I will go check the gravity of this army,’’ Trumpkin says and without getting any time to protest he snatches Hope’s hand and starts to pull her towards the edge she had just left, while Edmund runs to get Peter.

As they come to the edge they see the fully merged army. And it was the size of it that scared Hope the most. It was huge, easily over three hundred men and many catapults. The Telmarine army was easily much larger than what was left from the now much smaller Narnian army. How on earth were they going to beat this war?

XXX

They quickly assemble a meeting inside the How to discuss a plan that would hopefully ensure their victory. And Trumpkin was the first to voice out the lunacy of this plan Peter was currently suggesting.

‘’Cakes and kettledrums! That’s your next big plan? Sending a little girl alone into the darkest parts of the forest alone?’’ Trumpkin spats at Peter while pointing out how he could be sending Lucy to her death.

‘’It’s our only chance,’’ Peter says sadly, knowing fully well how big of a risk he’s taking right now.

‘’And she won’t be going alone,’’ Hope says from the corner before Susan has a chance to say anything.

‘’Are you out of your mind? Haven’t enough of us died already?’’ Trumpkin says after Hope’s declaration.

‘’I know those forests. I know a safe way to get through them,’’ Hope says, while Caspian looks uncomfortable from the other corner.

‘’Nikabrik was my friend too, but he lost hope. Queen Lucy hasn’t. And neither have I,’’ Trufflehunter says to Trumpkin, and to all of them.

‘’For Aslan,’’ Reepicheep says while holding his sword over his heart.

‘’For Aslan!’’ A large bear then echoes.

‘’I’m going with you,’’ Trumpkin then offers, feeling worried for not only Hope, but for his newfound friend Lucy as well.

‘’No, we need you here,’’ Lucy says while rejecting his offer.

‘’We have to hold them off until Lucy and Hope get back,’’ Peter then says, hoping beyond hope that this will work.

 ‘’If I may…’’ Caspian says as he rose from the step he was sitting on and walks closer to Peter, ‘’Miraz may be a tyrant and a murderer. But as king, he is subject to the traditions and expectations of his people. There is one in particular that may buy us some time,’’ he then suggests.

XXX

And so bit later while Edmund, in full armor, went to deliver the challenge to Miraz Caspian tried to help Hope and Lucy by offering his horse as a mean to get through the forest.

‘’Destier has always served me well. You are in good hands,’’ Caspian says while checking that the saddle was tightly secured.

‘’Or hooves,’’ Lucy laughs while sitting on the horse behind Hope.

‘’Caspian I’ve known Destier just as long as you have. I think I can trust him,’’ Hope teases while she pats Destier’s neck.

‘’Good luck,’’ Caspian then says feeling very worried for both of the girls.

‘’Thank you,’’ Hope says. And just as she’s about to start riding Caspian grabs her hand.

‘’Promise me you’ll come back safely,’’ Caspian says with very few tears in his eyes. The thought of Hope never coming back still haunting his mind. To that Hope just smiles and leans down to Caspian’s level.

‘’I promise. And if anything happens I can always count on my Prince Charming to save me, can’t I?’’ She teases and before she can pull her head back up Caspian kisses her again to which she eagerly responses.

During all of this Lucy was pretending to be innocent and just whistles a happy tune while playing with her hair as if she wouldn’t see anything, making both Hope and Caspian blush when they remember that they weren’t alone.

‘’Go,’’ Caspian then says while still holding a red tint on his cheeks and Hope gladly agrees to that and kicks Destier on his sides and they start riding through the tunnels.

‘’ _I can always count on my Prince Charming to save me,_ ’’ Lucy mocks her while they ride.

‘’Shut up,’’ Hope says while she can still feel her cheeks burning.

They come out of the How inside the forest far enough so that Miraz wouldn’t see them and send soldiers after them. They ride fast dodging all the trees and lower branches Caspian’s fall from the horse still fresh in Hope’s mind.

But then they hear another horse neigh and Hope knows that the soldiers are behind them.

‘’They’ve seen us!’’ Lucy yells behind Hope as she sees the soldiers.

‘’Hold on!’’ Hope yells and speeds up the pace. And once they are further inside the forest she stops Destier and dismounts it.

‘’What are you doing?’’ Lucy asks as she watches Hope dismount.

‘’Sorry Lu, but you’ll have to go alone from here. We can’t shake them off, but I can slow them down. Just follow this path and you won’t get lost inside the forest. Just go,’’ Hope says as she slaps Destier’s pelvis and it starts to gallop away from her.

‘’But what about you!’’ Lucy then yells as the horse gallops away.

‘’Just go!’’ Hope yells after her and then turns to look at the way where the sound of the soldiers was coming from. ‘’I’ll be just fine.’’

Lucy rides a bit further away and then she turns to look at Hope at the clearing. From the distance Lucy couldn’t help but to reflect Hope’s actions and the way she speaks to them to Amanda’s. She even called Lucy by her nickname. But then she snaps out from her memories and starts to ride away, hoping that Hope will be fine.

Hope then takes the one of her two knives from her boot and secures it to her hand. She then takes a deep breath and slowly she can start to feel the coldness gathering inside her body. And as she exhales she can see her breath having very small ice crystals in it, as if she was breathing pure ice.

Then from the forest she can see the soldiers emerging. She then quickly takes her knife and accurately throws it at one of the soldiers and it lodges itself into his shoulder making him cry out and fall from his horse.

And while her second knife was still inside her boot safely, she quickly kneels to the ground and places her hands to the leaf covered earth and then without thinking any further she releases the coldness she had gathered inside of her to the ground and sees how the earth was quickly turning into pure cold ice, making one of the horses to slip and fall down with its rider.

This was one of the Winter Nyphs powers, releasing their inner coldness. They do not create winter as Telmarines so try to accuse them, but they can defend themselves with powers, that many may mistake as creating winter, when the need arises. The dangerous part in their power was just that it takes a lot of energy to create pure ice inside their normally warm bodies since they have to lower their body heat considerably and it usually leaves them quite out of breath. But that doesn’t stop Hope from trying to help the people she loves and Lucy was counting on her to slow down these soldiers so they wouldn’t catch her.

Hope watches as another horse slips on the ice and falls down its rider still on the back. But just as she was about to draw her remaining knife from her boot another soldier who managed to avoid the ice knocks her down with his horse and was about to hit her with his sword. But just before the soldier can hit her, Caspian rides to the scene on another horse and hits the soldier with his sword.

‘’Your Prince Charming to the rescue,’’ he then jokes as he holds his hand as Hope takes it and mounts the horse and sits behind Caspian wrapping her arms around his body and giving him a small kiss on to his cheek.

‘’Thank you,’’ Hope then says.

‘’I’ll always come for you,’’ Caspian then says so quietly that Hope nearly doesn’t hear it, but it still warms Hope’s still slightly cold heart, making it burning hot.


	11. Peter’s fight

Caspian and Hope rode back to the How, where Peter was with Edmund’s help limping away from the fighting ring after asking a small break from equally tired Miraz.

‘’Lucy?’’ He immediately asked after seeing Hope dismounting the horse.

‘’She got through, with a little help,’’ Hope admitted while nodding towards Caspian, indicating that it was he who helped.

‘’Thanks,’’ Peter says to both Hope and Caspian, feeling thankful for helping his little sister.

‘’Well you are busy,’’ Caspian jokes pointing at the ring where Peter was supposed to fight again in couple minutes.

‘’Better get up there, just in case. I don’t expect the Telmarines will keep their word,’’ Peter says to Hope nodding towards the cliff where their archers were with Susan in command.

‘’Don’t worry about me Pete, worry about this fight. I can take care of myself,’’ Hope says surprising Peter with the too familiar nickname. And another surprise for him was when Hope suddenly hugged him, ‘’And don’t die. I won’t survive if you do,’’ she whispered to his ear.

Hope didn’t know where those words came from, but for some reason they were needed to be said and she for her own surprise actually meant them. Somehow imaging Peter’s death was like stabbing a spear through her heart.

Peter was so shocked to hear those familiar words that he almost didn’t notice the stinging on the shoulder he had dislocated until the pain spiked in his arm and he let out a small wince.

‘’Sorry,’’ Hope them said and backed away from Peter, who was still trying to piece this scattered puzzle Hope time and time again turned out to be. And so he just blurts out the first thing that comes to his mind,

‘’It’s alright,’’ indicating his shoulder that still had the slight burning in it. Edmund then notices how Narnians behind them were little taken aback with Peter’s apparent injury.

‘’Keep smiling,’’ he muttered to Peter so that he would appear strong and okay to the Narnians so that they wouldn’t lose hope with the young King. Peter then faces the Narnians and raises his sword and the crowd starts to cheer for him.

Peter then sits down on a stone while Caspian helps him remove his shield from the arm that was injured.

‘’I think it’s dislocated,’’ Peter deducts, ‘’What do you think happens back home if you die here?’’ He suddenly asks Edmund who’s helping him with his arm. That quest was followed with deep silence from both Edmund and Hope. ‘’You know, you’ve always been there. I never really—AWW!’’ Peter suddenly yelled when Edmund pushed the shoulder back in its place.

‘’Save it for later,’’ Edmund says as he moves away. Hope then takes his place and places her already cooling hand to Peter’s shoulder.

‘’Hold still,’’ she says to the confused Peter as she lets her cooling hand sooth his aching shoulder. ‘’Better?’’ She asks after removing her hand.

‘’Yes, how did you do that?’’ Peter asks.

‘’I’m a Winter Nymph, it’s what we do,’’ she then winks at Peter. Peter then rises from the stone and takes his sword from Edmund, ready to continue the fight. The Narnians cheer for Peter as he walks closer to the ring.

Peter runs towards Miraz, but one can see how Miraz easily wants to be the one on an offensive mood, while Peter had to defend himself from Miraz’s aggressive attacks. They fight, swing swords and try to push the other with their shields.

Then Miraz manages to push Peter so that he rams into a pillar and falls down. Miraz takes this as his opportunity to strike and tries to hit Peter with his sword, but Peter dodges it with his sword and kicks Miraz’s legs from under him making the old man fall down.

They both then get up and as Miraz tries to hit Peter once again with his sword Peter manages to trap Miraz’s sword with his own and then remove the weapon from Miraz. Peter then continues to hit Miraz’s shield with his sword, but then Miraz manages to get Peter’s sword and hits him with his hand and then with his shield.

And then as Miraz tries to hit Peter again with his shield Peter takes a hold of it and twists it so that he has Miraz’s other arm behind him. But then Miraz elbows Peter on the face making Peter to lose his hold. He then pushes Peter to another pillar and picks up one of the fallen swords and tries to hit Peter, but Peter dodges the attack. He tries again, but Peter uses his metal armguard to defend himself and then he uses Miraz’s injured thigh as leverage and punches it making Miraz yell in pain.

Miraz takes a couple of steps back while muttering ‘’ Respite! Respite!’’ to Peter when he falls to his knees.

‘’Now’s no time for chivalry, Peter,’’ Edmund yells. But it would seem that Peter agrees and as he turns his back the injured man tries to use dirty tactics and picks up his sword and is about to attack Peter while his back is turned.

‘’Look out!’’ Hope yells when she notices Miraz’s action. Peter immediately turns around and when Miraz tries to hit him Peter manages to get a hold of the sword and turns it around so that Miraz is the one who got stabbed.

Miraz falls to his knees while Peter holds the sword, ready to end the old man’s life. But it would seem that peter was hesitant and Miraz noticed this.

‘’What’s the matter, boy? Too cowardly to take a life?’’ The fallen king taunts.

‘’It’s not mine to take,’’ Peter then response, disgust clearly visible in his voice. He then turns and offers the sword to Caspian. Caspian at first seems hesitant, but then it would seem that he’ll do it.

And as he takes his first step towards the sword Hope grabs his arm and he turns to look at her. The clear pain in her eyes tells him everything he has to know. He then gently removes her arm and takes the offered sword from Peter.

Caspian then raises the sword and all this time Hope has tears falling down her cheeks, ‘’ _Please Caspian don’t be the man I know you’re not,_ ’’ she silently prays in her head.

‘’Perhaps I was wrong. It seems you have the makings of a good Telmarine king after all,’’ Miraz then says and bows his head. And then with a loud yell Caspian strikes his sword…

…To the grass in between the old marble tiles.

‘’Not one like you. Keep your life, but I am giving the Narnians back their kingdom,’’ Caspian the spats at Miraz. Caspian then turns away from the fallen king while the Narnians cheer for their victory.

When Caspian walks closer Hope immediately runs to his arms finally letting the sobs out.

‘’Thank heavens you’re okay,’’ she sniffs to Caspian’s chest while he wraps his arms around her.

‘’Why wouldn’t I be?’’ He then asks.

‘’I was worried you’d let your hate and anger turn you into a monster like Miraz. You’re not like him, you know the difference between justice and revenge. That is what makes you a true King,’’ Hope says to him while looking straight into his warm brown eyes.

Not knowing what to say to Hope’s declaration he just cups one of her cheeks and pulls her into a kiss while Peter and Edmund exchange looks in between them.

But then they hear Miraz’s gasps and when they turn to look at him they see on of Susan’s arrows embedded to his side. After taking couple steps Miraz falls to the ground, dead.

‘’Treachery! They shot him! They murdered our king! To arms!’’ One of the Lord’s yells as he runs to the Telmarine’s army. After a long time of planning and thinking of how to avoid an open war it would seem that with Telmarines _war_ was just unavoidable.


	12. Another war

We watch as the Lord runs back to his horse preparing to war.

‘’Be ready!’’ Peter shouts at the Narnian troops.

‘’Peter!’’ Caspian yells and points at the soldier who is about to strike Peter from behind his back. Peter quickly overpowers the soldier and runs with Edmund to the front of the ruins swords pulled.

Caspian mounts his horse and pulls Hope up with him as she didn’t have her own.

‘’Are you ready?’’ He suddenly asks.

‘’Stupid question. Of course not, but we have to try anyway,’’ Hope answers. They watch in horror when the Telmarines immediately start using their catapults and shoot huge rocks at them. Some of the rocks hit Narnians but everyone tries to stay in their place until the sign.

And as the Telmarines start to come forwards Peter signs Caspian who with Hope ride back inside the How where rest of the Narnians are waiting.

‘’Narnians! Charge!’’ Caspian shouts as he picks one of the torches from the wall and rides inside the catacombs. And as they ride Caspian counts down the time and when he finally gets to ten he shouts,

‘’Now!’’ And the Narnians start to smash the pillars that hold the ceiling from collapsing to make the ground crumble from underneath the Telmarines soldiers. And as the Telmarines now try to climb their way out of the hole they have fallen into Susan with the archers shoot at them, killing and injuring many of the soldiers.

That’s when Peter and the rest of the Narnians above join in to the fight. And down in the catacombs a ramp to above opens and that’s where the Narnians from the down join into the fight. As they emerge from the catacombs Hope jumps down from the horse to give Caspian more elbow room to swing his sword so that he didn’t have to worry about hitting Hope.

‘’Go! I’ll be fine!’’ Hope yells at him when he turns his shocked face towards her. He hesitantly nods not having the time to argue her and rides off to fight for Narnia. Hope then draws her remaining knife from her boot and jumps to one of the Telmarines soldier’s back and hits him with the knife. And as he falls to the ground she steals his sword so she could fight and defend herself better.

But just as the battle seemed to go well for the Narnians, they see the rest of the Telmarines soldier start to march towards them and there are still hundreds of them left. And as the griffins fail to take them out Peter quickly yells the retreat back to the How.

But just then the catapults shoot rocks at the How destroying the entrance killing some of the Narnians with crushing rocks. Susan is dropped from the perch where the archers are and she soon runs to Peter, Caspian, Edmund and Hope ready to join the battle head on.

Edmund draws his sword. They all exchange glances and then they charge, Peter leading the way.

XXX

The fight did not go well, for one Telmarine they cut down two Narnians lost their lives. No matter how well they fight, they all knew that this fight was beyond fair and the end did not see to be on their favor.

Hope slashes one of the soldiers and as she turns she sees Caspian being outnumbered by the Telmarines and pushed down to the hole they had earlier created.

‘’Caspian!’’ Hope yells and tries to run to him, but is blocked by three soldiers. Hope is trying to keep her anger at bay but it soon gets too much and she focuses all her inner coldness that has been building inside of her for the past half an hour and releases it all into her sword. For a moment it dimly glows blue and before the Telmarines can react to it she slashes the soldiers with an ice cold sword and if the cut they received didn’t kill them the ever growing coldness inside the cut would.

Hope quickly runs to the edge of the hole to see the Telmarine captain trying to impale Caspian with a spear but the freezes. But just before he has time to decide whether to kill Caspian a root slashes out of the earth and crabs the Captain knocking him out.

Hope jumps down to the hole and helps Caspian up who looks questionably at her for explanation.

‘’Lucy!’’ Is all Hope can say. They look up and see the trees of the forest, the ones that have been asleep for hundreds of years, join into the fight. They watch as the trees hit their roots to the ground and use them to crush the catapults at the Telmarines side.

‘’For Aslan!’’ Peter then shouts and they all charge towards the Telmarines. The fight finally seems fair and one they Narnians could actually win.

The Telmarines retreat towards the river where they have just finished building a bridge. They start crossing the bridge until they stop to see Lucy on the other side alone. But just then Aslan appears from the forest and stands next to Lucy. The Telmarines look at them for a moment then,

‘’Charge!’’ The Telmarine Lord yells and they start to run towards Lucy and Aslan.

But then Aslan lets out a magnificent roar that stops the Telmarines on their tracks. For a moment it’s really quiet but then they start to hear running water and see a huge wave coming towards them. Aslan had called the sleeping River-God to fight.

The Telmarines try to run away, but then the River-God lifts up the bridge with some soldiers still on it and then he crushes the bridge, drowning the Lord who was in charge.

Now with both their leaders dead the Telmarines have no other choice but to surrender having witnessed how Narnians truly are not extinct and are in fact larger in numbers and in strength.

Peter, Caspian, Edmund and Susan cross the river to meet with Lucy and Aslan. And they step in front of him they all kneel down.

‘’Rise, kings and queens of Narnia,’’ Aslan says in his deem yet soothing voice. Peter, Edmund and Susan all raise, but Caspian still kneels.

‘’All of you,’’ Aslan says to Caspian. Caspian rases his head but does not get up.

‘’I do not think I am ready,’’ he admits.

‘’It’s for that very reason I know that you are,’’ Aslan says and that’s when Caspian feels confident enough to rise.

They all then turn to look at the sad mouse troops who carry their injured leader, Reepicheep, to Lucy to heal. Lucy immediately kneels and takes out her healing potion and drops couple drops of in into the mouse’s mouth.

‘’ Oh, thank you, Your Majesty,’’ Reepicheep says as his comrades help him up. That’s when he sees Aslan standing in front of him. ‘’ Oh, hail Aslan! It is a great honor to be…’’ he tries to bow but stumbles noticing then that he is missing his tail. ‘’I am completely out of countenance. I must crave your indulgence for appearing in this unseemly fashion. Perhaps a drop more?’’ he says pointing at Lucy’s potion.

‘’I don’t think it does that,’’ Lucy apologizes.

‘’You can have a go,’’ the mouse says.

‘’It becomes you well, Small One,’’ Aslan tries to encourage him.

‘’All the same, great king, I regret that I must withdraw. For a tail is the honor and glory of a mouse,’’ Reepicheep says as he pulls out his sword and offers it to Aslan.

‘’Perhaps you think too much of your honor, friend,’’ Aslan then says.

‘’Well, it’s not just the honor. It’s also great for balance… and climbing… and grabbing things,’’ Reepicheep then tries to explain.

‘’May it please your high Majesty, we will not bear the shame of wearing an honor denied to our chief,’’ one of the mouses says as all of the point their swords at their own tails, ready to cut them for the sake of their leader.

‘’Not for your dignity, but for the love of your people,’’ Aslan then mysteriously says. And then Reepicheep’s tail magically regrows.

‘’Oh, look! Thank you, thank you, my liege! I will treasure it always! From this day forward, it will serve as a great reminder of my huge humility,’’ Reepicheep thanks Aslan, who just smiles. But then,

‘’Caspian!’’ They hear Hope shout and run to the young prince’s arms. ‘’Thank heaven you’re alright.’’

‘’Hope,’’ Caspian whispers and for a moment forgets who are present and tightly hugs the love of his life. And as they separate Hope then realizes that she’s in the presence of the mighty king of all the Narnia.

‘’Your Majesty,’’ Hope says in awe as she kneels to the ground.

‘’Winter Nymph Hope, last of her kind,’’ Aslan says. ‘’I am sorry that I was unable to prevent your family’s death, but now is a new dawn and you are one of those who can make a difference in the future,’’ Aslan says to her making her smile sadly as she remembers her family.

‘’Years ago I made a promise and now is the time for me to fulfill that,’’ Aslan says and steps a little closer to Hope and she can feel a warm breath hit her face and before she can say anything else a wave of memories hit her mind.

Her life in England with Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. The moment when they were sent to the country for safety, when Lucy discovered Narnia, their fight for Narnia as their Kings and Queens, the time when Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy disappeared, the moment of her death. She finally remembered her life as Amanda Pevensie.

Hope rises from the ground and looks at Aslan, ‘’thank you,’’ she whispers. She then turns towards Peter and walks next to him. And without any warning she hits him to the uninjured shoulder.

‘’Ow, what was that for?’’ Peter says.

‘’You promised to be back in the evening,’’ Hope says and before Peter has time to understand what she means she hugs him. ‘’Thank god you’re alive Pete.’’

Peter then pulls away from Hope and looks at her, ‘’Amanda?’’ He asks. To which Hope just replies with smiling and hugging him again.

‘’Yes, brother dear,’’ she whispers to his ear.


	13. One family

The amount of hugging and crying that happened in the next few minutes was indescribable. As soon as those last words flew from Hope’s mouth the whole Pevensie family was hugging her.

Peter had a much firmer grip on Hope than before as if he feared that if he let go she would disappear. Susan was also hugging her having squeezed herself in-between her and Peter and was openly crying not caring who would see their usually very dignified queen crying her eyes all red and puffy. Edmund was hugging her next to Susan and he was also crying and sobbing loudly to her chest, having missed his sister who from the very beginning had believed in him even when the others didn’t. And Lucy had attached herself to Hope’s waist and her grip indicated that she would not let go anytime soon and Hope could feel how her dress was getting wet from her sibling’s shedded tears.

But none of them was as vocal in their relief and joy as Hope, or Amanda, as she was also crying so that her eyes and cheeks were red and swollen and she could not form any other sentences except the ones like ‘I missed you so’ or ‘I’m so glad to see you’ or something on that line.

For several minutes others just looked at the reunited siblings, others who knew what was happening and others were just baffled at why the royals were hugging a single Nymph. But the Pevensies did not care, all that mattered was that they were together again.

By the time that their tears ran out they could all feel confident that they could let go of Hope, knowing that she was not going to vanish into this air if they didn’t hold onto her. They quickly dried their tears from their cheeks, but could do very little to the other obvious evidence that they had been crying.

‘’So am I understood correctly that Hope is not Hope but the High Queen Amanda?’’ Caspian then asked when he realized that the emotional reunion had passed.

‘’No, I am still Hope, but I’m reincarnated Queen Amanda. I died over thousand years ago, but Aslan gave me a choice to be reborn as a Narnian so that I could meet my sibling again someday. And now I have,’’ Hope explained making Caspian nod his head in understanding.

‘’Well there’s a story I did not expect to hear,’’ they hear Trumpkin say from the riverbank.

‘’So this is the dear little friend you’ve told me so much about,’’ Aslan asks Lucy, making Trumpkin look between Lucy and Aslan as he walked closer and as he knelt to the ground. That is until Aslan lets out a loud roar making Trumpkin flinch back a little.

‘’Do you see him now?’’ Lucy jokes making all around laugh, even Trumpkin.

XXX

About a week later after the remains of the war had been cleaned up and the injured ones had been treated and the deceased ones had been laid to rest with respect, was Caspian’s coronation day and he was very nervous and was pacing in his room that morning.

He was already dressed in his coronation outfit. His forest green undershirt, dark brown pants and boots and his belt and sword attached to his hip. He has yet to put on his cream colored jacked that was lying on his bed as he was nervously looking out the window of the preparations for the parade that was to happen after his coronation.

‘’What’s on your mind, if I may ask?’’ he suddenly hears a voice ask from the door. He turns around and sees Hope standing there in her beautiful [gown](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/52/ee/2d/52ee2df6971d5c45d8fbc08faac372f9.jpg) that Vivian had especially made for Hope. It was beautiful light blue in color and it had an even lighter blue silk ribbon on her waist and the top part was lovely crisscross pattern. It also had sheer short sleeves and on top of the crisscross pattern and sleeves it had silver leaves and branches sown on it. Her hair she had let down on their natural curls. To Caspian she looked absolutely gorgeous.

For a moment Caspian forgot how to speak as he was looking at Hope. But as Hope started to take steps towards him he realized that he hasn’t answered yet to her.

‘’I’m scared. What if I’m not a good King? What if I turn out to be the worst King ever? What if I’m like Miraz…’’

‘’And you’ll stop right there!’’ Hope suddenly commanded her eyes looking furious as she stood in front of him as she places her hands to his cheeks making him look at her in the eyes. ‘’You are not like your Uncle, you hear me? You are good and kind and selfless, all those things Miraz was not. And the fear of not being a good king is understandable and good. Because if you fear it then you are already a good person for then you won’t become like that. And as I said before you’ll make mistakes, trust me everyone does, even the king. But it doesn’t matter that you made a mistake it’s that you acknowledge the mistake, learn from it and then try to fix it, that’s what makes you a good person and a king. We all believe in you Caspian. You just have to believe in yourself,’’ Hope finally says as she takes his hands in hers.

‘’Marry me?’’ Caspian suddenly asks.

‘’What?’’ Hope asks.

‘’Will you marry me? I have realized a long time ago that I can’t live without you in my life and I’ve loved you for years so, umph…’’ Caspian started to explain when suddenly his mouth was shut by a pair of lips over his. It didn’t Caspian too long to understand what was happening and so he soon melted into the kiss and moved his hands from Hopes and circled them around her waist as she placed her arms over his shoulders and into his hair.

The kiss lasted a long time but eventually they had to pull away for air.

‘’Was that a yes?’’ Caspian asks smiling.

‘’Yes, a thousand time yes,’’ Hope laughs. Just then Caspian holds up one finger indicating for her to wait as he rushes to his desk and takes out something from the drawer. He then returns and holds up a simple golden [ring](http://images.bigcartel.com/product_images/157104076/a06-ros-beatrizpalacios_b.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&h=2000&w=2000), but it had a beautiful golden rose in the middle.

‘’Golden roses, you remembered,’’ Hope asks as tears form into her eyes.

‘’Of course, I had this made a while back and I was going to give this to you as a gift as I was too afraid to ask you to marry me, but now it just feels right. May I?’’ Caspian then asks offering his hand where Hope places her left and Caspian slips the ring to her ring finger.

‘’I love you,’’ Hope then says after Caspian has placed ring to her finger.

‘’I love you too,’’ Caspian says as he then pulls Hope to another kiss.

‘’Ready to become King?’’ Hope then teases after they pull apart making Caspian groan in protest.

XXX

The coronation went on as planned and the parade after that was amazing. People were happy to finally have the rightful King on the throne and Caspian had united the both Telmarine people and Narnians and so Hope didn’t have to hide her Narnian side anymore as well as the Doctor who was a half dwarf himself.

The celebration after the coronation was spectacular. Both Telmarines and Narnians celebrating together. Hope had pulled both her bothers to the dance floor and finally she could tell at least one thing where Edmund was better than Peter. Peter still had both of his left legs and Hope could feel the bruises that had started to form on her toes. And of course Caspian came and asked her to dance, which now for some reason angered Peter even more than when a young Telmarine lord asked Susan to the dance floor.

But soon Hope ran to the orchestra where Some Telmarine musicians and some fauns and dwarfs were playing and asked them to play something for her. She then ran back to the almost empty dance floor when the music started playing.

_‘’With every ending comes a new beginning_

_Two worlds, one family_

_Trust your heart_

_Let fate decide_

_To guide these lives_

_To guide these lives we see_

_Put your faith in what you most believe in_

_Two worlds, one family.’’_ She sang to everybody as now the normally unreachable dream had become reality. Two races were together living in harmony.


	14. Goodbye, for now

After few days of partying and celebrations the normal life had stared to return. Or as normal as it could get as now some Narnians decided to live in the city and find employment with their talents, while others wanted to continue to live in the woods, but no more having to hide.

But now Aslan had some things to say to the people, both Telmarine and Narnians.  And so Caspian in Aslan’s orders had gathered the Telmarines and remaining Narnians to the large courtyard to hear Aslan’s word.

‘’Narnia belongs to the Narnians just as it does to man. Any Telmarnies who want to stay and live in peace are welcome to. And for any of you who wish, Aslan will return you to the home of our forefathers,’’ Caspian then decladed to the crowd.

‘’It has been generations since we left Telmar,’’ one man said from the crowd.

‘’We are not referring to Telmar. Your ancestors were sea-faring brigands, pirates run aground on an island. There they found a cave, a rare chasm that brought them here from their world, the same world as our kings and queens,’’ Aslan says as he looks at the Pevensies next to him. ‘’It is to that island I can return you. It is a good place for any who wish to make a new start.’’

That started a murmur amongst the people.

‘’I’ll go. I will accept the offer,’’ Captain Glozelle said loudly.

‘’So will we,’’ Lady Prunaprismia says while holding her son as they both step forward.

‘’Because you have spoken first, your future in that world will be good,’’ Aslan says as he breathes his breath over them. And then the grand oak tree opens up behind them creating a portal between this world and England. And as the Captain and Lady Prunaprismia walk through it they vanish from sight making the crowd gasp.

‘’How do we know he is not leading us to our deaths?!’’ One man yells from the crowd.

‘’Sire, if my example can be of any service, I will take eleven mice though with no delay,’’ Reepicheep then offers.

‘’We’ll go,’’ Peter then says surprising not only the crowd, but his siblings as well.

 ‘’We will?’’ Edmund asks.

‘’Come on. Our time’s up,’’ Peter says as he walks over to Caspian and offers his sword. ‘’After all, we’re not really needed here anymore.’’

‘’I will look after it until your return,’’ Caspian says as he takes the sword from Peter.

‘’I’m afraid that’s just it…We’re not coming back,’’ Susan then says sadly.

‘’We’re not?’’ Lucy then asks.

‘’You two are,’’ Peter says as he looks at Aslan, ‘’At least, I think he means you to.’’

‘’But why? Did they do something wrong?’’ Lucy then asks Aslan.

‘’Quite the opposite, dear one. But all things have their time. Your brother and sister have learned what they can from this world. Now it’s time for them to live in their own,’’ Aslans then explains.

‘It’s alright, Lu. It’s not how I thought it would be, but it’s alright. One day you’ll see too. Come on,’’ Peter says.

‘’Amanda?’’ Lucy then holds her hand as if asking her to come too. Hope just looks sadly at her sister not knowing how to break the news to her.

‘’Lucy I don’t…I don’t think she’s coming. Right?’’ Peter then says to Hope with tears in his eyes. Tears finally land to Hope’s cheeks as she quickly walks to her siblings and hug them.

‘’I wish we’d had more time together but at least I know you’re alive and well,’’ Hope says.

‘’But why? We’re finally together, you can come home,’’ Lucy tearfully says.

‘’Lucy as much as it pains me to say this, but Amanda is dead, I’m Hope a Winter Nymph who happens to be a reincarnation of the said Queen. I can’t come, this is my home, I have family here and… a fiancé,’’ she says.

After those last words Peter looks up and looks at Caspian who is looking at the tearful separation.

‘’We understand and I hope you’ll be happy here. I’m also clad to know you’re alive and well and that’s more than enough,’’ Peter says as he again hugs his twin.

Then they all went to say goodbye to the friends they’ve made in their short time in Narnia. And the Peter once again walks to Caspian and whispers, ‘’you break her heart and I don’t care if I’m in another world I will find you and make you pay.’’

‘’Completely understandable,’’ Caspian says back and they then shake hands as a sign of mutual understanding and respect.

As the Pevensies start to walk through the portal Caspian holds Hope in one armed hug to give her the comfort she needs while seeing her siblings leave, not knowing when she’ll see them again. Is it going to be a year, ten years or a century when they’ll return again?

‘’Goodbye…for now,’’ Hope whispers while Caspian tightens his hold on her as her tears runs freely down her cheeks.

**The end!**

**Yeah, thank you to all who had the patience to wait this last chapter. But my muse decided to take an extended vacation and when that happens this happens. Long time between chapter updates. But it’s finally finished, hooray!**

**Thank you to all, love you and once again comment!**

**Snow**


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